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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24453103">Episode IX: Echoes of Hope</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunshineDuk/pseuds/SunshineDuk'>SunshineDuk</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Rewrite, Fix-It, Multi, Rey is Not a Palpatine, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Fix-It</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 10:53:41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>48,752</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24453103</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunshineDuk/pseuds/SunshineDuk</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Two years after her brother's death, General Leia Organa has one last message to send to the galaxy. </p><p>My take on what Episode IX could have been--a movie where Palpatine stays dead, Rey's parents stay nobodies, and Rose Tico stays a main character. (Also a movie where Finn and Poe get to kiss, but come on, that one's obvious.)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kaydel Ko Connix/Rose Tico, Poe Dameron &amp; Finn &amp; Rey &amp; Rose Tico, Poe Dameron/Finn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>54</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. ACT ONE</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p><br/>My goal in making this was to create a treatment for an alternate version of what I think Episode IX could have been. If you enjoyed TRoS, I'm happy for you, but it didn't do it for me. So I channeled my frustration and disappointment into fanfiction!</p><p>My rules for myself were to treat this as realistically as I could, as if this was actually an outline for a film to be made. That meant no relying on Expanded Universe plot points, aiming for about 2.5 hours worth of content, and no new scenes with our beloved Carrie Fisher (drowned in moonlight, strangled by her own bra). I wanted to make a movie that continued the themes and ideas set up in The Last Jedi and provided satisfying closure for both the sequel trilogy and the whole Skywalker Saga. Along the way it should be a proper Star Wars movie, of course, full of plot twists, exciting aliens, new Force powers, threats to the galaxy, snarky banter, and cool spaceships and laser swords. In other words, all the things JJ Abrams was supposed to do. Did I succeed? I'll let you be the judge of that.</p><p>This was also fully outlined before the leaks of the Trevorrow script. 90% of it was written in January, but then the whole plague thing happened and it didn't get finished until now. There are quite a few uncanny similarities, which caught me quite by surprise. I assure you, it's pure coincidence. (Unless of course it's the will of the Force.)</p><p>The story is formatted as a film treatment, which is a very detailed scene by scene outline. I may go through in the future and expand this into a full script with dialogue, but for now... enjoy, and may the Force be with you. (Putting on some Star Wars soundtracks while you read is optional but recommended.)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p>
<p></p><div class="letter2"><p> </p>
<p></p><div class="center"><p>.</p><p>A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...</p></div><p> </p></div><div class="letter"><p> </p>
<p></p><div class="center"><p>STAR WARS</p><p>Episode IX<br/>
ECHOES OF HOPE</p><p>The story of the last stand<br/>
of JEDI MASTER LUKE<br/>
SKYWALKER reignited sparks<br/>
of hope across the galaxy.<br/>
But the cruel First Order<br/>
still reigns, crushing<br/>
dissent with an iron fist.</p><p>GENERAL LEIA ORGANA never<br/>
fully recovered after<br/>
nearly being killed by her<br/>
son, SUPREME LEADER KYLO<br/>
REN. Though her spirit is<br/>
strong she knows her time<br/>
grows short.</p><p>Leia has sent her bravest<br/>
agents on a mission to<br/>
steal the Galactic<br/>
Broadcast Codes, determined<br/>
to share one last message<br/>
that might restore freedom<br/>
to the galaxy....</p></div></div><p> </p><p>We pan down from the starfield to see a STAR DESTROYER in orbit around a green-white planet. As the camera holds, four more Star Destroyers arrive from Hyperspace. On the deck of his flagship, GENERAL HUX confirms the report from the local First Order commander: the leaders of the RESISTANCE are on the planet. Their contact on the ground is with them right now. Hux is pleased, and orders his troops to begin landing.</p><p>On the planet below, we see a familiar place with a dramatic change. This is THEED CITY, the capital of NABOO, birthplace of Padmé Amidala and the long-dead Emperor Palpatine. Most of the city looks as beautiful as it always did, but above the Royal Palace looms a massive transmitter dish. Even the dish is beautiful, ornately decorated in traditional Naboo style.</p><p>We find FINN, POE DAMERON, and BB-8 in the middle of a dangerous mission. They sneak onto the scaffolding at the base of the transmitter array, taking care to avoid the local guards. They make it to their destination with a minimum of violence--the terminal is guarded by local Naboo soldiers (a mix of humans and Gungans), who Finn and Poe take down with a few stun shots from their blasters. BB-8 begins downloading something from the central terminal. Poe wonders how the others are doing on their mission. Finn is optimistic about their chances--after all, if anyone can successfully win over the Queen, it's Rose.</p><p>Cut to ROSE TICO, who is definitely not succeeding. She and REY are together in the Royal Palace, meeting with the young QUEEN VELÉN OF NABOO, resplendent in her deep red royal robes and dramatic makeup. Her Captain of the Guard, a Gungan with a serious expression, stands beside the throne, watching the meeting.</p><p>Rose and Rey are attempting to convince the Queen to lend her support to the Resistance. They remind her that under her predecessor, Naboo was one of the first worlds to join the New Republic. The Queen counters that the New Republic is gone, having never recovered after the Senate on Hosnian Prime was destroyed by the First Order two years earlier. There have now been two attempts to organize a Galactic Republic, and both attempts failed. The lesson is clear: rule by force is the only way to maintain control in the galaxy. And now the true power in the galaxy has come to Naboo. Rose and Rey look out the window and see the First Order dropships landing.</p><p>On the scaffolding below the transmitter, Finn and Poe see the same thing. They're in deep trouble. The Stormtroopers will be there soon, but BB-8 can only download so fast. Finn perks up, a tingle on the back of his neck warning him a second before it happens--he DODGES A BLASTER BOLT as Stormtroopers sneak up the back way. It's a small moment, but Finn clearly takes it seriously, rubbing his neck curiously. He shakes it off and focuses on reality as he and Poe try to hold off the oncoming Stormtroopers while BB-8 finishes the download. The fighting escalates, and in an attempt to hold back the Stormtroopers Finn shoots a gas canister, setting off a fuel explosion that destroys an entire adjacent building.</p><p>Back in the throne room, the Queen says that she received GENERAL LEIA's call for help during the BATTLE OF CRAIT, but she did not help then either. Rey asks why not. The Queen says that she has studied history, and she knows that getting involved will only get her people killed. The people of Naboo have been brought into too many wars already. It is easier to accept the rule of the First Order than risk more violence. Whoever is "right" or "wrong," innocent people get caught in the crossfire. She points out the window to the smoking ruin of the building Finn just destroyed as evidence. That's why she's the one who notified the First Order about this meeting and invited them.</p><p>Rey is FURIOUS. She calls the Queen a coward and a traitor to her own people. The Queen stares her down and says that there is nothing Rey can do to convince her to join the Resistance. This gives Rey an idea, but not a good one. She waves a hand, and commands the Queen to send the First Order away. The Queen stays strong and refuses. But Rey is angry. She isn't taking no for an answer. Her outstretched hand tenses, clutching at the air in a far more sinister way. She gives the command a second time, the very air rumbling with the power in her voice. The Queen's eyes go blank, and she repeats the command in a hollow voice. The music strikes a dark note. It is clear this is not just a Jedi Mind Trick--this is outright MIND CONTROL.</p><p>The Captain of the Guard steps in front of the Queen and tells Rey to stop whatever she's doing to the Queen. Rey angrily insists she's doing what's right for the galaxy. Rose watches uncomfortably. She doesn't like this side of Rey. As the Queen reaches for her commlink, Rose looks like she is about to speak. Before she can, the throne room doors burst open and A SQUAD OF STORMTROOPERS rush in.</p><p>They are led by CAPTAIN PHASMA, whose once-chrome armor is now charred, covered in scorch marks. She was clearly severely injured and rebuilt with cybernetic parts, and her voice now carries an extra level of artificial alteration. Rey draws and ignites her NEWLY-BUILT GREEN LIGHTSABER. It is built from her old staff and has a long enough handle for her to hold it two-handed, but she and Rose are enormously outnumbered. Rey deflects the first shots into the air, but there's just too many more coming. Phasma and the Stormtroopers have them surrounded. The Queen comes out of her mind control, shaken and disgusted by the experience. She welcomes Phasma, who orders her troops to capture the Resistance scum alive.</p><p>But Rose has something literally tucked up her sleeve: the binary beacon that Rey previously used to track Leia's location. Blinding lights come in through the windows of the throne room as the MILLENNIUM FALCON appears outside. At the controls, CHEWBACCA roars loudly in greeting, the other binary beacon sitting on the console. The windows shatter as the Falcon opens fire on the Stormtroopers, who dive for cover. Rey and Rose run to the window, Phasma chasing close behind them. Rey carries Rose in her arms as she makes a FORCE POWERED LEAP to the Falcon's open ramp. The Falcon turns to fly away, but shakes as something hits it. Chewie wonders what it was, but doesn't have time to focus on it: he has another rescue to make!</p><p>Meanwhile, BB-8 has finally finished the download, and it's time to go! Finn and Poe begin to make their escape. They steal a First Order speeder (Finn knows the access codes, and Poe knows how to drive it) and they speed through the streets of Theed, Stormtroopers on their tail. They continue to cause significant collateral damage as they go. The Falcon races to pick them up, flying low over the city streets. Rose is in the lower gunner's seat, taking shots at the First Order forces, but despite her careful aim she's damaging the city too.</p><p>The Falcon comes to a stop, hovering low over a rooftop. Rey, still standing on the open ramp, beckons to Finn and Poe, who nearly manage to get on board. But just as they're about to, the Falcon lurches to the side. Rey grabs a landing strut, barely holding on. Chewie roars in frustration as he realizes what's happening: Phasma is RIDING ON TOP OF THE FALCON. She's shooting point blank at the engines with her heavy blaster, doing enough damage to destabilize the Falcon.</p><p>The Falcon speeds forward again as Chewie attempts to dislodge Phasma, sending the ship into dives and rolls. None of it works, as Phasma holds tight to the various greebles on the ship's surface. Rose races up the ladder from the bottom turret to the top one, and begins trying to pick Phasma off at close range. But it's no good--the quad cannon cannot swivel fast enough, and Phasma dodges all of her blasts. Phasma ducks into a crouch, out of Rose's range--the cannon cannot tilt down far enough to aim at the Falcon's own surface. As the ship continues to fly above the city, Phasma makes her way along its surface towards Rose in the gun turret.</p><p>In the city below, Finn and Poe are on the run again in their stolen speeder, trying to keep pace with the Falcon overhead while still fending off Stormtroopers. Between the troopers and Phasma atop the Falcon, there's no second chance to stop and get Finn and Poe aboard the Falcon, but Poe sees an opportunity. He jumps their speeder off a raised drawbridge over a canal, launching themselves up into the air towards the Falcon's ramp. This time they fall short, but Rey is still standing on the ramp and she CATCHES THEM WITH THE FORCE and levitates them aboard.</p><p>Atop the Falcon, Phasma has nearly reached Rose, who still cannot get a clean shot. Phasma stands up and raises her blaster to point it at Rose through the turret window. Rose reaches into the opened console of the turret and yanks out a component--the linchpin of the turret's hinge. As Chewie tilts the Falcon to one side, the guns of the turret swing free in their gimbal and SLAM INTO PHASMA, knocking her off the Falcon. She slams down onto a city street below, making a significant impact crater. She ignores the Stormtroopers who attempt to see if she's alright, instead taking out her commlink to warn General Hux that the Falcon is heading for orbit.</p><p>The heroes of the Resistance--Rey, Rose, Finn, Poe, BB-8, and Chewbacca--all gather in the cockpit as the Falcon leaves Naboo's atmosphere. Rey settles easily into the pilot's seat, clearly taking her usual place alongside Chewbacca. Rose tells the rest about Phasma, and Finn is deeply annoyed that she's still around. Didn't he deal with her twice already? Rose explains her clever trick with the turret hinge, but Poe says they're not out of danger yet. He points ahead to where the Star Destroyers are converging in orbit, blocking their escape route. An entire swarm of TIE fighters is heading towards them, too. They're hopelessly outnumbered. Aboard his command ship, General Hux is pleased. There will be no escape for the Resistance this time.</p><p>Finn points to a narrow gap between the overlapping hulls of the Destroyers overhead, and urges Rey to punch it for that window. The window is closing rapidly as the Star Destroyers come closer together. Rose shakes her head--the only way they could get there in time is at lightspeed. Finn asks then why not go for it at lightspeed? This time Poe says no, as there's no way that the Falcon's navicomputer can calculate a hyperspace jump that precise in time, not even with BB-8's help.</p><p>Rey says she can do it. All eyes turn to her. She asks them to trust her. She knows the Falcon's hyperdrive, and she trusts the Force. Poe and Rose look skeptical, but Chewbacca roars in approval and support, and no one argues with Chewie. Rey closes her eyes and rests her hands on the Falcon's controls. She breathes slowly and reaches out with the Force. One number at a time, without even looking at the keys, she enters the coordinates for the jump to hyperspace. Behind her, Finn and Poe share a nervous look--will this really work? Rey finishes entering the coordinates and tells Chewie to punch it.</p><p>Chewie roars and pushes the lever forward to make the jump. As the stars stretch to starlines, Finn and Poe hold hands tightly for comfort--but the coordinates are good, and the Falcon slips perfectly between the Star Destroyers.</p><p>Hux is furious, but decides not to inform the Supreme Leader about it. He does not need to know. Queen Velén makes contact, and Hux makes it clear that her loyalty to the First Order has been noted.</p><p>The Falcon is safely in the blue tunnel of hyperspace, en route to home. Everyone breathes a sigh of relief, and Rose raises an eyebrow with an amused smirk as she notices Finn and Poe awkwardly releasing each others' hands and not looking at each other.</p><p>Poe is clearly exhausted. He hasn't taken a break in a long time, but he still can't rest. He checks in with the rest of the team on how their missions went. Rose is frustrated at the Queen's decision; Rey is clearly still shaken by her own burst of anger. Finn and Poe accomplished their mission, at least: BB-8 has the Galactic Broadcast Codes. With this, they can get a message to the entire galaxy at once. General Organa will be thrilled. Poe is just worried they won't make it back in time. Rey assures him that the Falcon is going as fast as it can. He just needs to trust in the Force. Finn frowns as she says that, and looks like he might say something, but after a moment shakes his head. The moment is gone.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. ACT TWO</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Several dozen children are huddled together in a dark room. They are of various genders and humanoid species, but all look to be between ages six and thirteen. All of them are wearing simple black tunics that look like a mix of prison jumpsuits and First Order uniforms. Each of them has a number on their chest in place of a nametag.</p><p>We focus on the oldest two of these younglings. ST-1138, age eleven, is a young Zabrak girl, complete with face markings and horns. GL-1977, age thirteen, is a Nautolan, her head-tentacles tied back from her face. They are both scared of what's going to happen to them, but 1977 holds 1138's hand and encourages her to stay strong. She tells the younger girl to remember the stories of the Skywalker, who held up his light-sword against the dark.</p><p>The two fall silent as the door opens. A masked figure stands in the doorway: TYCHUS REN, eldest of the KNIGHTS OF REN. He bids the children follow him, and leads them through enormous darkened hallways to a dimly lit cavernous chamber. The room has a throne at one end in front of huge windows, but the throne is empty. Astute viewers may recognize this as what was once the JEDI TEMPLE on Coruscant. Time has changed this place significantly--it was the IMPERIAL PALACE for two decades, but after the fall of the Empire it was abandoned. Now it is the central base of the FIRST ORDER, and home of their dark master.</p><p>In the center of the throne room stands KYLO REN. He does not look well. His bloodshot eyes are permanently rimmed with red as if he never sleeps, and his long hair is frayed and tangled. As they line up before him, Kylo addresses the children and tells them their fate. They have been brought here to be given a chance at greatness. Each of them distinguished themselves in their early training, and they have the potential to be more than just Stormtroopers. They will be tested, and if they pass, they will become SITH SQUIRES and begin their training to join the Knights of Ren. They will be the next generation of true power in the galaxy, enforcers of the will of SUPREME LEADER KYLO REN.</p><p>Tychus Ren hands each child a small crystal. Kylo Ren tells them to focus their minds on their crystal with all their anger and all their hate. For most of the children, nothing happens. But GL-1977's crystal begins to glow bright red. We don't see ST-1138's crystal. Kylo Ren is pleased, and motions for 1977 to come to him. She does so, giving one last worried look back at 1138. Another of the children--a young Nikto--has a glowing crystal as well, and is invited up. Kylo Ren tells him and 1977 that the other children are nothing. They're worthless. But these two are not like them. They can be special--with his help. He can mold them into something amazing... as long as they swear to serve only the Knights of Ren, and give up all other attachments. The Nikto boy swears immediately, almost eagerly. 1977 hesitates, clearly thinking of 1138, visible behind her, but Kylo Ren reaches out a hand in her direction. He repeats his command, and we hear the rumbling power of his SITH MIND CONTROL. 1977's eyes go blank, and she numbly swears loyalty to Kylo Ren. He smiles to himself, but it's a cold and hollow smile.</p><p>Kylo tells Tychus to take the rejects away. Tychus leads the other children, the horrified 1138 included, to a side room. One of the children starts to cry, and Tychus yells at them. 1138 takes advantage of the moment of distraction to slip away, hiding behind a pillar. We see for the first time her crystal, which she had kept hidden in her tightly clenched fist. It's GLOWING BRIGHT RED. She covers it again, terrified that she'll be discovered. We only see shadows and glimpses around the pillar but clearly hear as Tychus Ren ignites his weapon and SLAUGHTERS THE OTHER YOUNGLINGS. 1138 covers her mouth to muffle her sobs as she cries with fear and horror.</p><p>CUT TO:</p><p>General Hux is presiding over a meeting of the FIRST ORDER GRAND COUNCIL. They have commandeered what was once the Jedi Council Chamber as their meeting room, at the very top of one of the towers of the old Temple. The room is dominated by a rectangular black table, clearly at odds with the architecture of the circular room. The windows look out over a dark Coruscant. The once-vibrant city-world is now desolate, with only a few lighted buildings. It was the capital of the Old Republic, then the capital of the Empire, but it never recovered after the New Republic capital relocated to Hosnian Prime--which was destroyed by Starkiller Base.</p><p>The assembled leadership of the First Order are all notably young--none of them look older than forty. Hux introduces the Council to their newest member: QUEEN VELÉN. Her red royal robes have been replaced with the uniform of a First Order Moff, matching the other councillors, but she still wears her ceremonial makeup. Hux forgives her for letting the Resistance scum escape, and assures her that as part of the First Order, Naboo will have a chance to redeem itself. More and more star systems are joining the First Order, and there is always more work to be done to keep the galaxy at peace.</p><p>Kylo Ren enters the council chamber, and Hux passive aggressively scolds him for being late. Kylo takes a seat at the head of the table, but slumps in his chair, barely paying attention. The council discusses logistics--the First Order is growing faster than they can keep up with, and their forces are becoming spread very thin. Kylo tunes them out entirely, tapping his fingers on the table in agitation. Finally he interrupts the meeting, shouting that NONE OF THIS MATTERS. Nothing matters except finding the girl and wiping out the flame of the Jedi once and for all.</p><p>Hux coldly explains that while Kylo and the Knights of Ren are obsessing over one girl, he and the council are busy actually ruling the rest of the galaxy. Besides, all of this would be much easier without the Skywalker legacy. Half the reason their forces are spread so thin is because of all the little independent rebellions that sprung up after Luke Skywalker's last stand at the Battle of Crait.</p><p>Kylo angrily insists that his plan for dealing with that is almost ready. He just needs a few more children, and then he can wipe out the Skywalker legacy once and for all. Hux doesn't like this, either. Kylo Ren is taking his best Stormtrooper trainees for this project. The result is that he's having to train Stormtroopers faster than ever, using simpler indoctrination techniques, and even including, to his considerable distaste, recruits from LESSER SPECIES. Supreme Leader Snoke would never have let--</p><p>Kylo cuts Hux off with a furious shout that Snoke is DEAD, and that HE is the Supreme Leader now. He uses the Force to slam Hux's face against the table and pin it there to listen to his ranting. If Hux and his troops cannot control the galaxy, then Kylo will find someone or something to replace them. With that threat hanging in the air, he storms out of the room, dismissively leaving the council behind to manage their petty logistics. He is no longer even pretending to care.</p><p>CUT TO:</p><p>The Millennium Falcon drops out of hyperspace above a beautiful green world and swoops down towards the surface. The world is covered with massive trees looming above shallow jade green seas. This is KASHYYYK, homeworld of the Wookiees. The Falcon slips carefully between enormous tree trunks and comes to rest on a landing platform hidden on a branch. A small secret base has been built into the trunk of the tree, a chaotic but beautiful mix of technology and organically shaped wood. On neighboring branches there are a few other ships, but not many--the half dozen X-Wings of Poe's BLACK SQUADRON, a scattering of A-Wings and Y-Wings, and the shadow of a larger ship, not quite visible, hidden in the foliage.</p><p>BB-8 is the first off the Falcon as the ramp lowers, closely followed by Rey, Finn, Poe, Rose, and Chewbacca. They are met by a crew of WOOKIEE TECHNICIANS, who immediately begin repairs on the Falcon, directed by Chewie. The techs are followed by long-running Resistance member KAYDEL CONNIX, who bears a pained expression. Rose takes an eager step towards her, but comes up short as she sees the look on Connix's face. Poe gestures to BB-8, saying that they got what they needed--the droid has the Galactic Broadcast Codes, so let's get them to General Organa as quickly as possible.</p><p>Connix says that it's too late. Leia... she can't finish the sentence, and begins to cry. A slow hold on the heroes as they collectively realize what has happened. Chewbacca is the first to react fully, stepping away from the technicians to give Connix a hug. After a moment, he begins to cry as well--a long, mournful sound. It's clear he needs the hug even more than Connix does. The heroes stand in shock, unsure of what to do.</p><p>WIPE TO:</p><p>The entirety of this Resistance cell has gathered at night for THE FUNERAL OF GENERAL LEIA ORGANA. A beam of moonlight comes down from between the massive tree trunks to illuminate her. Her body is laid out on a wooden pallet and surrounded with beautiful flowers. </p><p>The Resistance members are arrayed around her, each dealing with grief in their own way. Rose and Connix are both crying, holding hands.  Chewbacca is attempting to be stoic but struggling, standing with a group of other Wookiees of various ages--his family. Poe rests a hand on Finn's shoulder, who is a sobbing mess. BB-8 leans its head against R2-D2 for support. Rey looks deeply troubled, a storm of emotion within her, but she says nothing. Behind them stand the pilots of Black Squadron: Temmin "Snap" Wexley, Karé Kun, Jessika Pava, Suralinda Javos, and young Aftab Ackbar (son of the late Admiral Gial Ackbar). Nien Nunb and a dozen or so other Resistance members surround them. This is not a large cell.</p><p>The eulogy is given by C-3PO, who knew Leia since she was a baby on Alderaan. He speaks of what an honor it was to serve Leia in many different roles over the course of her life. He was her protocol droid as a Princess, as a Senator, as a mother, and eventually as a General. Not that she ever had much respect for protocol, but perhaps that was why he enjoyed working with her so much. He was programmed with knowledge of protocol (and over six million forms of communication), but over the years she taught him so much more than that. Leia saw droids--and people too!--as not just what they were made for, but as beings capable of doing great things if they put their minds to it. The galaxy has lost one of its great lights, but she lives on in all the people she inspired and changed.</p><p>FADE TO:</p><p>Late at night after the funeral. Rose is at a terminal in the Resistance base, looking through document after document. Her eyes are red from crying and exhaustion, but she keeps reading. A hand touches her on the shoulder and she jumps, startled. It's Connix, who apologizes for sneaking up on her and asks what she's doing. Rose says it's alright. She tried to sleep but she just couldn't. So she's here, reading through Leia's notes, but... there's so much of it. Leia left so much behind.</p><p>Connix says Leia spent her last days writing constantly. She had a grand vision for how to rebuild the galaxy, for a better Republic, and Connix did her best to help Leia write it all down, but... there wasn't enough time. Rose wishes she could have been there to help, but Connix assures her that she was needed elsewhere. Her work was vital.</p><p>Rose sighs in frustration. Was it, though? She's been working her way through Leia's list of potential allies and trying to get them to join, and after almost two years she has so little to show for it. It feels like such a waste of time, especially when she sees everyone else fighting so hard. She touches her necklace as she remembers how many people have died, and the guilt she feels at still being here. Sometimes she wishes she could be on the front lines with the REAL heroes, but she's not a Jedi, she's not an ace pilot, she's not a bomber captain... She's just a mechanic.</p><p>Connix takes Rose's hand and says that a mechanic is exactly what they need. Leia wrote all of her ideas down, but Connix doesn't really get how it's all supposed to fit together. Rose is good at understanding how systems work, at seeing the bigger picture--maybe she can help. Rose doesn't seem convinced, but she says she'll try. </p><p>Connix also says that she and Leia talked about what Rose was doing, trying to reach out to governments, and Leia said that it was some of the most important work that anyone in the Resistance was doing. Rose wonders if Leia really said that, and Connix says it's true. The front line fighters might be the ones who save the galaxy from the First Order, but it's people like Rose who are going to help the people of the galaxy rebuild afterwards. Rose nods slowly in understanding. She says that someone has to make sure there's a plan for what happens after the war is over. But why her?</p><p>Rey speaks up quietly from the doorway. Leia sent Rose on those missions for a reason. Leia trusted her. Now she has to trust herself. She apologizes for eavesdropping, but she couldn't sleep either. Connix says it seems to be going around. She's sure if Leia could see them now, she'd tell them to stop fretting over her and either get back to work or get back to sleep. That gets a fond but painful smile out of Rey and Rose both.</p><p>Poe and Finn walk into the command center from the direction of the landing branch, mid-conversation. Finn is telling Poe to at least TRY to get some rest. Even the Wookiee techs are sleeping. Poe responds with an outburst of frustration and guilt: how can he sleep now, after failing such an important mission? If he'd pushed himself harder, maybe he could have gotten back with the broadcast codes in time. Maybe Leia could have gotten her message out. He was so close, but it just... it wasn't enough.</p><p>Rose coughs loudly, and Poe and Finn realize they're not alone. It's an awkward moment. Poe says he's sorry, he didn't mean for everyone else to see that. Connix says it's okay. Honestly, she feels the same way. She helped Leia finish writing the speech, but by the time it was done Leia was too weak to record it. Maybe if she'd tried a little harder too... Rose looks at her with sudden determination: if the speech is written, then Connix should read it on Leia's behalf. They should go ahead with the broadcast anyway. </p><p>Connix looks doubtful. It won't be as powerful without Leia giving it herself. Poe says it's worth doing it anyway. Leia wouldn't want them to give up just because she was dead. Connix says Rey should be the one to read it, as Rey was Leia's apprentice. Rey shakes her head, and points out that she was only Leia's apprentice when it came to matters of the Force. They were all her apprentices, whether or not they had the title. Leia taught Poe to command, taught Rose to lead, taught Finn to inspire, taught Connix to communicate. Rose goes to Connix and takes her hand and holds it tight, looking at her encouragingly. After a beat, Connix nods in acceptance. She'll read the speech.</p><p>WIPE TO:</p><p>A family of Duros sit down to dinner, a HoloNet News broadcast playing in the background. The broadcast appears to be little more than First Order propaganda. The hologram dissolves into static, and one of the Duros smacks at the receiver, trying to fix it. The image reappears after a moment, but the newscaster is gone. In his place is Connix, her hair coiled to match the iconic twin buns of her mentor.</p><p>Connix begins by announcing solemnly that Leia Organa--Princess, Senator, General, galactic hero--has passed away, due to injuries sustained at the hands of the First Order. But she left a final message for the galaxy, and it is that message which Connix now shares.</p><p>As Connix gives the speech, we montage between numerous locations. We see Connix standing in the Resistance base, Rose and her other friends standing by her as she reads Leia's message. We also see people all over the galaxy watching the broadcast. Among the viewers we see families, school classes, prisoners, First Order officers, and what are clearly other isolated cells of Resistance fighters, scattered around the galaxy. We see a few familiar faces like MAZ KANATA, the Broom Boy, and even LANDO CALRISSIAN. They watch from their homes, in cantinas, and even on giant video screens in public squares. Some worlds are unfamiliar, but we also see glimpses of people on planets we know, including TATOOINE, BESPIN, BATUU, NABOO, and CANTO BIGHT. </p><p>The message is, of course, one of hope. It is a call not to arms but to organization and connection. Leia acknowledges that things are bad across the galaxy, with the rise of the First Order and the chaos of a lawless time, but she also knows that there are still good people. What needs to happen now is for those good people to realize that they're not alone. There are other good people like them, and if they stand up for what is right, allies will stand with them. The last stand of her brother, Luke Skywalker, has inspired seeds of hope, and now it's time for those seeds to not just blossom but set down roots. She calls for the creation of a new government, not ruled by a central power but rather an alliance of independent systems, unified in their desire for peace and mutual aid. She knows that the old ways fell apart, but the lesson isn't to give up on government or unity, the lesson is to learn from their mistakes and build something better! She invites all good people of the galaxy to rise up against the yoke of the First Order and join her. Above all, she wants people to never give up working for a better galaxy, no matter how dark things may seem. She reminds the galaxy: the Force is with them. Always.</p><p>The final person we see watching as the message comes to an end is the person who was once Leia's son: KYLO REN. Bitter tears of rage pour down his face. When the message is over, he ignites his red lightsaber and destroys his HoloNet console in another tantrum. We hold on this image, a furious Kylo Ren continuing to attack the remains of the console, mindless in his grief and anger. When there is nothing left to destroy, he lets out a wordless roar, shattering the windows of his chambers. Then he storms out of his chambers, as if looking for something for something else to smash.</p><p>WIPE TO:</p><p>We move next to what was once the JEDI ARCHIVES. Now it is a shattered and desecrated place, lit in harsh reds in contrast to the gentle blue hues it once had. The statues of Jedi Masters that once lined the central aisle have been replaced with identical busts of DARTH VADER. In the center of the room is an open space where Tychus Ren and several other Knights are training a dozen Sith Squires. The Squires are sparring with red lightsabers while Tychus provides harsh commentary. Several other Knights lurk nearby and watch. </p><p>GL-1977, the young Nautolan we saw join the Sith Squires earlier, is sparring with the reptilian Nikto around her own age. She presses an attack and he's a moment too slow raising his lightsaber to block--and she CUTS HIS HAND OFF AT THE WRIST. She looks down in shock and horror, as if only just realizing what the lightsaber is capable of. The Nikto howls in pain, clutching his arm to his chest.</p><p>Tychus smiles and calls for the other Squires to stop. He calls out for Valo--one of the other Knights--to prepare another cybernetic hand. Valo laughs, as he's done so many already. Tychus walks to 1977 and congratulates her on being the first of her cohort to strike true. He sees great things in her future, and tells the rest of the Squires they should be as bold in their attacks. Slowly her expression of fear is replaced with pride as he commends her.</p><p>The door slides open and Kylo Ren stalks in, still in his rage. All six Knights of Ren--Tychus Ren, Valo Ren, Mortus Ren, Daxo Ren, Archus Ren, and Serrax Ren--focus on him immediately. Tychus sends the Squires out, back to their bunks. He tasks 1977 with leading them there. She nods proudly. She won't let him down.</p><p>The Knights gather and listen as Kylo Ren rants. He screams about how Leia is a hypocrite, preaching about hope and connection when she abandoned him as a child and then gave up on him. Just like Han. Just like Luke. Just like Rey. They all abandoned and betrayed him in the end.</p><p>Tychus Ren offers only a twisted form of comfort. He tells Kylo that the Knights of Ren will not abandon him. They know he's strong enough to leave his weak mother behind. He encourages Kylo to instead remember his grandfather, a true master of the Force. Standing in the ruins of the Jedi Temple, Tychus Ren tells Kylo to be like Darth Vader, and cut off his attachments. Then he can be truly strong. The other Knights echo this sentiment. The largest of them, Mortus Ren, adds that Vader was so committed to this that he even killed his own wife rather than suffer through being attached to her. Tychus follows this up with a reminder that Kylo has done a great job of that already by killing the people who had power over him--Han Solo and then Snoke. Besides, Snoke was just a means to an end. He brought Kylo to the Knights of Ren, and after that he was irrelevant. They're all better off without him. It's clear that Tychus knows the importance of appeasing Kylo's ego, lest he be on the receiving end of a tantrum.</p><p>Kylo Ren gathers his composure again, grateful to Tychus for the reminder. Kylo is still frustrated, though, and grumbles about Hux undermining him. He wishes he could get rid of all of them. Valo Ren, the mechanic of the Knights, says that the amplifier will be ready soon and none of them will matter any more. Tychus affirms that the Sith Squires will be ready to play their part as well. We see for the first time what Valo has been building, the source of the red light that dominates the room. At the end of the room is a massive unfinished machine, an assemblage of pipes and wires feeding into a giant crystal made of the same material used to test the Squires. It is glowing red, but its light flickers and pulses unsteadily. It's not ready, but it will be soon. Kylo looks up at it approvingly but impatiently. Just a little longer, and then the Skywalker legacy will be done with for good.</p><p>CUT TO:</p><p>Kylo Ren sits through another tedious Grand Council meeting. They tried to trace the origin of the broadcast, but it was masked too well. It seemed to be simultaneously transmitted from every part of the Galactic Network. And now there are more new reports of small uprisings across the galaxy. Isolated occurrences, but if they aren't crushed quickly they will escalate. Hux insists to Kylo Ren that they NEED more troops, and they have to come from somewhere.</p><p>The Queen of Naboo proposes a solution: battle droids. Easy to mass manufacture, and with no need of intensive indoctrination like Stormtroopers. Hux is dismissive, saying that they're weak and disposable, no match for proper Stormtroopers. Kylo notices Hux's disapproval and decides that he likes the idea, if just because it makes Hux angry. He asks the Queen where she would get these droids, and she says that Kuat Drive Yards acquired the blueprints not long ago and has already begun production. They're just waiting for the right buyer.</p><p>Hux grudgingly accepts that this is a practical idea, and says that he will go to Kuat to make the deal. Kylo shakes his head, and says that he can take care of this. He doesn't need Hux. Hux is shocked, clearly skeptical that Kylo is interested in (or even capable of) something as mundane as negotiating for battle droids. Kylo asks threateningly if Hux doubts him, and Hux is quick to assure him that he is not questioning the Supreme Leader. Kylo is pleased, and says he will set out immediately, and beckons the Queen to accompany him. As soon as they leave, Hux takes out his commlink and sends a message to Captain Phasma, ordering her to go with Kylo Ren and make sure that the acquisition of the droids goes smoothly. Hux doesn't like that they're resorting to battle droids, but likes the idea of failing to get the battle droids even less.</p><p>Phasma confirms the message and leads a battalion of Stormtroopers aboard a transport ship. Just before the loading ramp closes, a tiny figure slips aboard and climbs into a storage compartment: ST-1138, the escaped Zabrak youngling from before.</p><p>WIPE TO:</p><p>Late at night in the Resistance outpost, Finn, Rey, and Poe sit around a low table playing a game of sabacc, lit by the glow of the interference field between them. The mood is light, but there's something about the cheer that feels a little forced--the weight of Leia's death still hangs heavy over the trio. Finn and Rey discuss their hands briefly, each guessing what the other has, and then guessing what Poe might have. Finn at first seems enormously confident, but Poe just smiles at him, and Finn quickly overthinks his way into doubt. He folds. Poe asks if Rey wants to follow suit. Rey studies Poe's face for a long moment, then sighs and folds as well. </p><p>Poe laughs and reveals that his hand was garbage and scoops up his winnings happily. Finn is grumpy that Poe bluffed them AGAIN. Rey wonders when they'll ever learn. Poe laughs it off and chalks it up to the old Dameron luck. Finn points out that Poe has an advantage! His parents taught him to play as a kid and taught him how to bluff! Finn and Rey have only been playing for a few years! Poe says that's not his problem, then excuses himself to take a leak.</p><p>After a moment, Finn turns to Rey and asks her why she lets Poe beat her. Couldn't she just, you know, read his mind with the Force? She frowns a little and says that's not really how it works. She doesn't seem to like the question. Maybe she COULD, but she wouldn't want to use the Force for something like that.</p><p>Finn thinks that over, then leans in a little closer and asks what the Force feels like. That gets a wistful smile out of Rey. She tries to explain, inarticulately paraphrasing Luke's lessons. She tells him that it's about... connection. It's about feeling the bond between all things living and dead, the energy they generate and pass between them just by being what they are. Luke and Leia taught her to feel that energy, to let it guide her mind and actions, and to let it help her in return. It's not a power she controls, it's an energy that exists in everything that she can tap into. She wishes she could have had more time with her teachers. She feels like she still has so much to learn about the Force, and now she has to figure it out on her own. She's tried to read the ancient Jedi texts she recovered from the tree, but even with Threepio's translation help she can't make much sense of them.</p><p>Finn nods, but it's clear he doesn't really get it. He asks if she knows what the deal is with the Dark Side. That gets a frustrated look out of Rey, because the truth is she doesn't understand that part any more than he does. And she's not sure she wants to. Sometimes she just gets so angry, and she feels like she's not in control, and that scares her. When she's mad, is that the Dark Side in her? Or is that the Dark Side controlling her? She doesn't know.</p><p>Finn looks at her, trying to figure out how to offer some kind of comfort. He says he thinks he maybe knows how she feels. He rubs the back of his neck, building up the courage to say something more than that. He wants to, but it's scary.</p><p>Before he can, Rey sees a blinking light on a nearby console. She jumps up to go check on it. Finn lets out a little sigh of disappointment but follows her. It's an incoming communication! The first response to Leia's message, maybe? Poe comes back from the bathroom and Rey tells him what's happening: they're receiving a private transmission on a coded channel. It's an old encryption, from back in the Rebel Alliance days. </p><p>Rey and Poe answer the call and see a face that's immediately familiar: LANDO CALRISSIAN. Poe greets him warmly, and Lando looks at him in surprise, saying that Poe has grown up so much he hardly recognized him. Poe agrees that it's been too long, and Lando apologizes for being out of touch and for missing Leia's funeral. He accidentally got married to a few people and settled down for a while, but his husbands and wife convinced him to start a Resistance cell, so he's back in the game. He's doing his best to do Leia proud. Now he's got some information that he thinks Poe will find interesting.</p><p>A few minutes later, the Resistance cell has gathered for a meeting. Appearing via hologram, Lando tells them what he's just learned. The First Order is spread thin enough that they're going to resort to old Clone Wars era battle droids. Lando was a kid during the Clone Wars and he remembers how scary these things can be. The First Order is heading to Kuat to make a deal to buy the droids. KDY's orbital shipyards were destroyed by the Rebellion but they got rebuilt. Lando would love to go deal with it himself by outbidding the First Order, but unfortunately they froze his assets so he's a little broke right now. At least until he wins his next sabacc tournament.</p><p>Poe thanks him and says they can handle it from here. Lando wishes them luck and signs off, promising to be there if they need him. The team discusses what to do. Rose says this is a perfect opportunity. If they really want to stop the First Order, going for the arms manufacturers is the way to go. Poe says she's not wrong, but points out that KDY is also the source of a lot of their own ships. KDY even makes X-Wings, now that they've bought out Incom and Sienar. Finn backs Rose up, remembering what he learned on Canto Bight. He says that it's worth it to take out the arms manufacturer. They're a core part of the problem. Rose smiles proudly at how far Finn has come.</p><p>Poe is convinced, and starts talking about how to get enough explosives to blow up the shipyards. Before he can get very far in the plan, Rey speaks for the first time in the meeting with a different idea. What if instead they STEAL the droids? They need weapons too, right? And after all, these aren't sentient droids like BB-8. They're more like puppet drones controlled from a central hub. Poe nods, liking this plan more and more. Finn says stealing or destroying, as long as they're making a mess for KDY (and its bottom line), he's in. And hey, if they can blow up the place while they're at it, that'd be cool too.</p><p>Rey and Rose are pretty sure that between them they can get access to the hub mainframe if they can get to it, but they'll need someone who can communicate with it. Someone with an excellent understanding of different kinds of droids. There's a pause, and all eyes turn to C-3PO. Rey asks him if he knows the programming language of battle droids. He cheerfully replies that of course he does, he is fluent in over six million forms of communication, certainly including that one. After a moment, he realizes why she wants to know.</p><p>He pauses and clarifies: they want him to go with them into battle and convince the command hub of a potentially hostile battle droid army to join the Resistance? Rose assures him that it's not an order. If he doesn't want to do it, they'll find another way. After a moment of thought, Threepio says that the odds of such a plan succeeding are astronomically small... but they are not zero. It will be the ultimate test of his protocol skills, and he will not let them down. R2-D2 whistles at him rudely and dubiously. Threepio tells Artoo off, saying with clear pride that of course he is scared, but this is what General Leia would want him to do.</p><p>Snap Wexley speaks up and says that Aftab Ackbar got a message from his family. Aftab says that a group of Mon Calamari have built a new command ship for the Resistance, but the First Order has blockaded the whole system. Poe asks Snap if he thinks he can break through the blockade. Snap says he'll certainly try. Karé asks if Poe is really going to give her husband a beach vacation without her. Poe grins and says that he's sending all of Black Squadron, not to worry. Jess Pava asks if that includes Poe, but Poe shakes his head. The exhaustion comes out clearly in his voice as he says that he misses flying with them--misses being in an X-Wing--but he's going to Kuat.</p><p>Poe smiles tightly at his team. Time to get ready for their next missions. Black Squadron will go to Mon Calamari, and the Falcon will head for Kuat.</p><p>FADE TO:</p><p>An hour later, the Resistance base is a hub of activity as the heroes prepare to depart for Kuat. Connix assures everyone she and Artoo will hold down the fort while they're gone and keep listening for more incoming transmissions from other Resistance cells, new friends, or old friends. Rose gives Connix a quick kiss goodbye and tells her she'll be back soon. Snap and Karé bicker affectionately as they get into their X-Wings, and give Poe a farewell salute.</p><p>Finn pulls Poe aside before they can board the Falcon. He tries to convince Poe to stay behind and take this mission off. Poe can't even remember when the last time he slept a full night was. Finn tells him to stay at the base and rest, but Poe won't listen. He insists that there's no way he can rest, not now. This is too important. Finn says that EVERY mission is important, but so is not burning out. Poe sighs angrily and says he'll take a break when the galaxy is safe. Finn is frustrated and clearly worried about Poe, but he doesn't push the issue further. Nearby, Rey eavesdrops, looking at the exhaustion on Poe's face. She follows Finn and Poe aboard, and a moment later the Falcon lifts off and departs.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. ACT THREE (i)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The tip of the crackling red lightsaber is inches from the throat of the senior executive of Kuat Drive Yards. She sweats nervously, but she does not break. She is Kuati, a species we have not seen before. She looks coldly at Kylo Ren and tells him that KDY was warned about his "aggressive negotiations." They've installed a killswitch in the battle droids. If he kills any of the executives, he gets nothing. We see that she is not alone--she is at the center of a table in the KDY central offices, surrounded by the rest of the board. Kylo stands across the table from her, pointing his lightsaber. Queen Velén stands behind him, watching silently.</p><p>Kylo thinks about what the executive has said. He is clearly considering killing her anyway, but he is angry, not stupid. After a moment, he lowers the lightsaber and asks how much they want for the droid army. She says one full ship is ready, with more ready soon. She names a price that's high, but not absurdly so. Kylo flatly denies it. He says she will give him the army as a gift. She frowns, but he clenches his fist. Again, the mind control, and again, she repeats his statement. The other board members look on in confusion and fear, but Kylo just smiles and tells them to do as she says. Kylo orders Queen Velén to oversee transporting the first ship of the new droid army to Coruscant. She doesn't argue.</p><p>WIPE TO:</p><p>The Millennium Falcon is in hyperspace en route to Kuat. Rey finds Poe in the crew quarters. He's looking over star charts, coming up with future plans. Rey sits with him, and tells him she overheard his argument with Finn. He apologizes awkwardly for letting her see him lose his temper like that. Rey shakes her head and says that honestly... she gets it. They talk about the pressures of trying to live up to Leia, trying to deal with the weight of knowing the Resistance--the entire galaxy, really--is looking to them for leadership. Neither of them feels ready, and neither of them feels like they can rest. It's a good moment for both of them. It's not as good as actual rest would be, but they both feel a little less alone.</p><p>Chewbacca roars from the cockpit, and Rey translates: they're arriving at Kuat. It's time. The moment of peace is over, and the mission needs them. They gather in the cockpit (along with a nervous but determined Threepio) and get their first view at Kuat. There are two rings around the planet. The outer one is composed of massive chunks of debris, the remains of the old orbital shipyards along with half-finished Star Destroyers that were in production at the time. The inner ring is the new shipyards, low enough to be in Kuat's upper atmosphere. As they watch, a chunk from the outer ring drifts down towards the planet and becomes a meteor, burning up in the atmosphere.</p><p>Poe points towards the inner ring and says that's their destination. Finn points out the First Order Star Destroyer between them and the shipyards, and asks what the plan is for getting past it. Chewie gives a smile and barks. He has a plan. He flies the Falcon into the outer ring and attaches to the underside of one of the chunks of debris. The engines flare gently, just enough to nudge the chunk out of its orbit and down towards the planet. It drifts past the Star Destroyer, the Falcon entirely unnoticed, dismissed as just more falling junk. Rey nods approvingly and asks Chewie where he got that trick from. Chewie barks an explanation, and Rey smiles. Of course.</p><p>As the debris enters the atmosphere and falls, beginning to burn, Chewbacca detaches the Falcon. The ship follows in the tail of the debris-meteor, though the streak of burning air is hot enough to feel even inside the ship. As soon as they're just below the shipyard ring, Chewie slams on the thrusters, and the Falcon neatly flips upwards. We get a closer look at the ring. It's a giant hollow ring full of scaffolding and materials, with massive drydocks spaced at intervals along it, some empty and some full of ships. A finished DROID CONTROL SHIP is just above the Falcon, and Rey takes the controls and heads for it. She flies the Falcon into the docking bay. It's full of droids of all kinds--classic B1 and B2 battle droids, droidekas, vulture droid starfighters, and even droid tanks and landing crafts. It's a vast army, but it sits perfectly still, silent and dormant, waiting to be activated. Finn watches out the cockpit window, thoroughly spooked.</p><p>The Falcon finds an open space near a turbolift door and lands. The ramp opens, and the intrepid heroes begin their next mission--BB-8, Finn, Poe, Rey, Rose, Chewbacca, and, for once, C-3PO. The crew must move slower than usual to allow Threepio to keep pace with them, which annoys Finn. BB-8 spends a minute staring in wonder and fear at the droid army, then at Poe's prompting finds an interface terminal. It finds directions to the Control Hub and powers up a nearby turbolift. </p><p>They emerge on the very top deck of the ship. Huge windows line the corridor, opening out onto the construction scaffolding still connecting the ship to the ring. The hallway is lined with dormant battle droids too, standing guard like statues. They are nearly to the Control Hub when they run into the only living person on the ship--a lone KUATI MECHANIC. He sees them coming and goes to pull an alarm switch. Rey reaches out with the Force and commands him to stop and step away from the alarm. This time Rose protests. She tells Rey to release him, that she can't just force people to do what she wants. Even when they're going to do something bad. You have to TALK to them. </p><p>Rey reluctantly releases her control over the mechanic, and Rose begins to talk to him. She attempts to convince him not to go for the alarm on the grounds that they're with the Resistance, and they're here for an extremely important mission to help free the galaxy. For a moment it seems like the mechanic is going to agree, but then he lunges for the alarm again. Poe hits him with a stun blast before he gets there. Poe shrugs. Rey tried it her way, Rose tried it her way, but in the end a blaster still does the trick. Unfortunately not a good enough trick, though--the Kuati collapses sideways, stunned, and slumps DIRECTLY AGAINST THE ALARM BUTTON. The alarms immediately sound, and Poe sighs. Finn pats him on the shoulder. Hey, he tried.</p><p>In the KDY offices, Kylo Ren sees the flashing of the alarms. He knows what that means. The Resistance. He dispatches Phasma and her Stormtroopers to eliminate the Resistance threat. She sets out to do so with pleasure. Kylo begins pacing angrily and asks the KDY executive if she knew about this. Did she call the Resistance? She insists that she has no idea what's going on.</p><p>BB-8 gets the door open to the Control Hub, and everyone rushes inside. It's a wide open room, full of more stationary droids, with a technological console in the middle: the DROID CORE UNIT. As Rose and C-3PO hurry to the terminal, doors slide open on the far side of the room and a squad of Stormtroopers run in. Finn, Poe, Rey, and Chewbacca draw their weapons and begin to fend off the Stormtroopers. Rey takes out her lightsaber and protects Rose and Threepio, deflecting any blaster bolts aimed their way. </p><p>Rose pries open the console, and finds the right spot to plug in a cable. She links it into a jack at the back of Threepio's neck, giving him a direct connection to the machinery. Threepio starts to talk to the Droid Core Unit in high speed vocal binary (which sounds almost like a modem dialing up). To his surprise, the Droid Core Unit is actually quite polite. He announces that as it does not have a morality processing circuit, he is going to attempt to appeal to its logic systems and--Finn cuts him off. Don't explain it to them, just do it! And do it fast, 'cause there are a lot of Stormtroopers coming! C-3PO sees his point, and resumes his conversation with the Core Unit.</p><p>Back in the KDY offices, Queen Velén notices a light on one of the consoles. She asks the KDY executive what it means, and she says it's someone communicating directly with the Core Unit that controls the entire droid army. Kylo Ren overhears and is furious. He accuses the executive of selling him out to the Resistance, giving them access codes to steal his new army! The executive starts to protest that she didn't do anything, there aren't even any "access codes" involved, but Kylo is already in a rage. All he sees is yet another traitor. He draws his lightsaber and SLAUGHTERS THE ENTIRE EXECUTIVE BOARD. Only Queen Velén is left standing, looking in disgust at the carnage. She quietly reminds Kylo of the killswitch, and he slams her against the wall with the Force, shouting that he doesn't care. They were traitors, just like the rest.</p><p>Aboard the Control Ship, the heroes are busy holding back wave after wave of Stormtroopers. To his own surprise, C-3PO actually succeeds in his negotiation! The Droid Core Unit has agreed to help! Poe is thrilled, but Threepio pauses, listening in confusion to the Core Unit for a moment more. He translates for everyone else--the Core Unit is very sorry, as it would like to help, but someone has killed its masters and now its failsafe overrides have been activated. Even the Core Unit cannot stop what is about to happen.</p><p>Finn wonders what exactly that means, but the answer is immediately apparent. All of the dormant Battle Droids SUDDENLY ACTIVATE, and their eyes LIGHT UP RED. Threepio continues to explain: the failsafe has been triggered, and they have a new directive: kill all life forms present. The Stormtroopers stop firing for a moment as they try to figure out what's happening. Then the droids open fire, and the Stormtroopers catch on quick. The whole room turns into chaos as a three way battle begins between the Resistance, the Stormtroopers, and the Battle Droids. Rey steps out into the room and begins cutting down droids with her lightsaber.</p><p>Threepio talks to the Core Unit briefly again and gets an explanation. There is no way to stop this now that it has begun, unfortunately, but at the very least this means that the First Order will not have them! He starts to say something more, but before he can finish his sentence he is HIT BY A BLAST FROM A BATTLE DROID. Threepio explodes in a shower of sparks, his head flying off and clattering to the floor, the lights in his eyes dark. Chewie roars in anger and rushes to scoop up as many of the broken pieces of Threepio as he can, just as he once did on Cloud City.</p><p>Poe says that they gotta get out of here, and fast. This is bad and not getting better. They fight their way to the door out, but the corridor leading back to the turbolift is blocked off by DESTROYER DROIDS. Not that way! Rose spots a way out: the windows. She looks up at Chewie, who nods. Carrying the pieces of Threepio in his arms, he leaps at the nearest window, smashing it open with his shoulders. The heroes follow him outside onto the construction scaffolding. They're exposed to the howling wind, and Finn looks down to see the dizzying drop to the surface of Kuat below. But it's better than being stuck inside with the Battle Droids and the Stormtroopers!</p><p>One big problem, though: how do they get back to the Falcon? They're on the scaffolding around the Control Ship, and the Falcon is still in its hangar bay, far below. Are they going to climb down all that way? Poe has an idea. The ring is comprised of many different shipyard sections, linked by scaffolding. The one they're on is a Droid Control Ship, as is the next one along the ring, but on the other side of that he can see a platform full of BRAND NEW NEXT GENERATION X-WINGS. They're not going to climb down, they're going to FLY down. </p><p>They start to head towards the X-Wings, but it's not going to be easy. The unfinished Droid Control Ship between them and the X-Wings rocks in its cradle as something explodes inside it. We see an entire platoon of berserk Battle Droids spill out of it onto the scaffolding, followed by several DROID HOVER TANKS. They begin firing in all directions, damaging the scaffold itself. </p><p>On another section of the platform, we see Phasma watching the chaos and ordering her Stormtroopers to target those tanks! She calls the Star Destroyer in orbit and orders it to dispatch air support. A moment later, TIE fighters emerge from the Star Destroyer, on their way down from above.</p><p>Kylo Ren watches from the windows of the KDY executive office as his brand new droid army tears itself apart. He barely sees it. His thoughts are elsewhere, distracted. After a moment he realizes why. He can feel a presence on the ring, one that's been hiding from him for years: the GIRL. Rey immediately feels it too, and comes to a stop as she runs with the group. A storm of emotions pass over Kylo Ren's face in a heartbeat: anger, loneliness, excitement, anticipation. He runs out of the office, eager to confront Rey. Queen Velén is left standing alone, forgotten.</p><p>Finn notices Rey has stopped and asks her what's wrong. She says that she's endangering the rest of them. Kylo Ren is here and he's coming for her. They should go on ahead--she'll lead him away and catch up with them soon. Finn starts to protest but she's already going, leaping away into the scaffolding, swinging away on a hanging piece of wire. We follow her as she vaults and slides and swings through the ring. She is back in her element, using all of the old skills she perfected as a scavenger on Jakku.</p><p>Outside the ring, the TIE fighters arrive and begin targeting the largest of the battle droid tanks. On the Droid Control Ship, dozens of vulture droids suddenly look up, alerted to aerial enemies. They switch into their starfighter configuration and launch into the air. In moments, the sky around the shipyards becomes a battlefield as well. Stray shots from both vulture droids and TIE Fighters begin to hit the ring, damaging it even further.</p><p>Kylo Ren steps out of a turbolift within the ring. His lightsaber is already in his hand. The girl is close. He can sense her. He sets out through the scaffolding, ignoring the explosions and the battle happening around him. His mind is set on finding Rey. He spots her in the distance on the scaffolding, climbing upwards. At last.</p><p>Poe, Rose, Finn, BB-8, and Chewie (still carrying the parts of Threepio) emerge from the chaos onto the platform where the X-Wings are. They have a moment to catch their breath, the worst of the fighting behind them. Poe admires the ships lovingly: the new TR-85 model, fresh off the line. Rose corrects him as she takes a closer look--they're still ON the line. These X-Wings aren't actually finished! They're close, but they're not quite ready to fly. Poe looks at her. She's the mechanic. Can she get them running? Rose clenches her teeth, touches her necklace for luck, rolls up her sleeves, and gets to work. She can do this.</p><p>Elsewhere on the ring, Captain Phasma is in the thick of the maelstrom, single-handedly fighting an army. Her delight is clear in her movements as she destroys battle droid after battle droid, a fluid blur of chrome and death. Her Stormtroopers are not faring so well, though. She gets a call over her commlink from a Stormtrooper Sergeant. The Sergeant's squad has taken heavy casualties and has numerous wounded, and she requests Phasma's permission to retreat. Phasma flatly denies the request and instead orders the Sergeant to fight to the last, to not stop until every droid is gone. We see the Sergeant grimly reporting the orders to her squad. Sure enough, they're in a tight spot--half of them are wounded, with several too injured to stand. They're pinned down on the scaffolding, sheltering behind the overturned shell of a droid hover tank, taking heavy fire from B2 super battle droids in every direction.</p><p>Another explosion shakes the platform and all the ships on it. Parts of the ring are starting to collapse and fall away. Rose works furiously on one X-Wing, shouting instructions to Poe and BB-8 who are working on bringing a second one online. Chewbacca is hard at work on a third, the pile of Threepio parts on the ground next to him. Poe blinks for a second, running a hand through his hair. He's so tired. He shakes it off and asks Rose to repeat her last instruction. Did he miss one before that? No, no, he's got it. BB-8 warbles at him worriedly, but Poe says it's fine. He's fine. Finn stands nearby, nervously watching the battle play out. He wants to help with the repairs, but he's not a mechanic. He knows he'd only get in the way. As he watches, he notices the injured Stormtroopers down below, pinned down by the battle droids.</p><p>The platform shakes again, and this time it doesn't stabilize. It starts to tilt slowly. Poe yells to Rose that they're out of time, it's time to fly or die. Rose gets into her X-Wing, and Chewie into his, with Threepio's various limbs piled on his lap. BB-8 loads himself into Poe's X-Wing, and Poe starts to climb in as well. He calls to Finn to come get in already. It'll be a tight squeeze, but if an X-Wing cockpit is big enough for a Wookiee and a dismantled protocol droid, it'll be big enough for the two of them.</p><p>Finn sighs and shakes his head. Poe knows that look: it's the look Finn always gets right before he does something really stupid. Finn doesn't deny it. He says he's gotta go back and make a rescue. Poe asks if it's Rey, and Finn shakes his head. It's some Stormtroopers. Poe is incredulous--Finn is going to risk his life for a bunch of Stormtroopers!? Finn grins at him and shrugs. Poe's risked his life for him, and he was just a Stormtrooper not too long ago.</p><p>Before Poe can argue with that, the platform cracks. Finn jumps off of it onto the scaffolding, which is only slightly more stable, yelling that Poe will just have to come pick him up later. He looks down towards where the injured Stormtroopers are trapped and runs back along a catwalk, heading for them.</p><p>Rose holds her breath as she powers up her X-Wing. This is the moment of truth: did she do her job well enough? Will it work? The lights on the console come on and the engines flare up, and Rose lets out a sigh of relief. It worked! She looks over to see Chewbacca roaring proudly as his X-Wing comes to life as well. The two X-Wings activate their repulsorlifts and float into the air, hovering above the swiftly tilting platform.</p><p>Poe's X-Wing, on the other hand, is still dark. He flips the switches once, twice, three times. Nothing happens. Rose calls to him over the commlink and asks what's wrong. He doesn't know. He asks BB-8, who doesn't know either. The platform tilts steeply enough that the X-Wing starts to slide, its landing gear scraping against the metal surface. Poe looks nervously at the edge of the platform coming closer, and the open sky beyond it. Rose asks him if he connected the fusial thrust igniters. Of course he connected the fusial thrust igniters! Didn't he? He did, right? BB-8 does a quick system diagnostic: no, Poe did not. The X-Wing slides closer to the edge.</p><p>BB-8 lets out a determined string of bleeps. It knows where the fusial thrust igniters are, and it's going to fix this. It pops out of its slot, balancing on top of the X-Wing, and rolls to the back edge. As the X-Wing slides further down the platform, BB-8 pops open the back panel and makes the connection. It perks upright and warbles proudly. It did it! But a second too late--the X-Wing reaches the edge and tumbles off the platform, out into the open air!</p><p>Poe calls out to BB-8 as he furiously hits the switches again, but still nothing is happening! The X-Wing is falling! BB-8 is falling behind the ship, and it SHOOTS OUT ITS GRAPPLING LINE, making contact with the ship. BB-8 reels itself in, closing in on the ship as it drops. In the cockpit, Poe is getting desperate. The planet's surface is looming below, and a vulture droid has taken notice of the falling X-Wing. The droid fighter begins to chase the X-Wing, lining up a shot. Poe sees it, but there's nothing he can do. None of his systems have power.</p><p>Finally, BB-8 makes it back to the ship and plugs itself back into its socket on the X-Wing. With a pulse of electricity, it activates the fusial thrust igniters, and the X-Wing comes to life. The console lights up suddenly under Poe's hands and he whoops with triumph as he opens fire, blasting the vulture droid. He thanks BB-8 for saving his butt yet AGAIN as he fires up the engines and turns the X-Wing around, swooping out of his uncontrolled dive and streaking back up towards the battle above.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. ACT THREE (ii)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Back on the ring, Kylo Ren is closing in on Rey, but she continues to evade him. He's almost got her, but she leaps away and ducks through a tiny gap in the metal, too small for Kylo to fit through. She's too acrobatic for him to keep up with. He spots another way around to get to her, but it'll take a while. She's heading right for a group of Stormtroopers, though. He takes out his commlink and calls to Phasma.</p><p>Phasma stands atop the smoking remains of a hover tank as she answers the call. Kylo Ren orders her to slow the girl down. Before she answers him, something catches her eye on a lower layer of the ring. She stares down through a gap in the scaffolding. It can't be... but no, it's him. She would never forget that face. It's FN-2187. The TRAITOR. And he's alone, climbing the scaffolding. Kylo Ren repeats his order to intercept Rey, but Phasma ignores him and switches off her commlink. She jumps down to the next layer of scaffolding, in the direction she saw Finn.</p><p>Kylo Ren looks at his commlink angrily and calls for Phasma again, but he hears nothing but static. He scowls and CRUSHES THE COMMLINK WITH HIS HAND, and throws it to the floor. He doesn't need Phasma anyway. Instead he reaches out with the Force and rips huge chunks of the structure of the ring apart and then smashes them together to form a bridge from him to Rey. Dozens of Stormtroopers are killed, some crushed and some thrown off the ring to their deaths. Kylo doesn't care. He storms up the path he's built.</p><p>Rey reaches the top side of the ring. She can go no higher. It's not a flat surface, but an array of small platforms connected by scaffolding and wires. She surveys it and is satisfied. This is comfortable territory for her, and will make a good battlefield. She stops running and turns to face Kylo Ren at last. She draws her lightsaber again but does not ignite it yet.</p><p>Kylo Ren reaches her level and calls out to her. He says he's finally found her. The ring shakes with another explosion and he struggles for balance, unsteady. Rey shifts her weight smoothly with the swaying platform she's on, steady on her feet. Kylo Ren asks her why she keeps running away from him. Rey looks at him incredulously and tells him: he's a monster. She's seen what he's done to the galaxy. He enslaves children, he destroys worlds, he's killed billions! He killed his own parents! Kylo is disappointed. She's distracted by small things, things that don't matter. The only thing that matters is the Force. People are just--people are distractions, who always betray and abandon you in the end. Rey says that's ridiculous, the Force comes FROM people. It connects them, joins them together. It's not MORE than them. Kylo says no, no--Rey just doesn't understand! But he can TEACH her. He can make her into something so much more if she would join him. They can lead the Knights of Ren together!</p><p>Rey shakes her head. She wants no part of his vision of the Force. Kylo Ren sets his jaw in a grim expression. Fine. If that's her decision, then he'll CUT HER OUT OF THE FORCE. She won't have to think about the Force if she's DEAD. He ignites his lightsaber. She holds her long-handled one out in front of her and ignites it--and then IGNITES A SECOND BLADE. She has built a SABERSTAFF, with the same proportions as her old staff, one that perfectly suits her fighting style. </p><p>Kylo Ren lunges at her and the lightsaber battle begins, his flickering red blade against her two brilliant green ones. They duel back and forth across the scaffolding, clashing and locking and pushing away again. Rey moves acrobatically around him, using the environment to her advantage, but he quickly catches on and puts a stop to that. He tears the scaffolding apart around her, refusing to let her find stability, even if it means undermining his own footing. She leaps for a hanging loop to swing from but Kylo THROWS HIS LIGHTSABER, cutting through it as she swings. She falls, landing hard on a catwalk. Kylo pulls down another chunk of metal and it lands on her, pinning to the catwalk. Her lightsaber is knocked from her hand, landing a few layers below. Kylo Ren stalks down the catwalk towards her, crackling lightsaber in hand.</p><p>In the scaffolding far below, Finn has made it to the pinned Stormtroopers. He takes a second to survey the situation. They're still hiding behind a chunk of downed hover tank, super battle droids shooting at them from all sides. He looks at his little blaster. No way can it deal with the super battle droids. But then he spots something much more effective: the detached turret cannon from the hover tank.</p><p>The Stormtroopers are in serious trouble. The Sergeant checks on her injured troops. One of them asks how they're going to get back to the dropship. The Sergeant shakes her head and reminds them: Phasma's orders. They're staying to fight. She doesn't like it any more than they do. Suddenly there's a break in the incoming fire. The Sergeant looks up to see why.</p><p>Finn calls out to the super battle droids. They turn to look just in time to see him open up with the turret cannon. He mows down the entire line of them, a grin on his face.</p><p>Once they're gone, he tosses the turret aside and runs to where the Stormtroopers are. He asks if they're alright. The Sergeant looks at him and tilts her head to the side in confusion. She points her rifle at him and asks who he is and why a Resistance member would save a bunch of Stormtroopers. He looks at her squarely and introduces himself as FN-2187. Or at least he used to be. The name is Finn now. They look at each other, and slowly she lowers her rifle.</p><p>Then we hear a voice from behind Finn slowly repeat his trooper number again. It's PHASMA. She's been looking forward to this. She has her blaster leveled at him, point blank range. After a moment, Finn puts his hands on his head in surrender.</p><p>In the air battle, Poe, Rose, and Chewbacca are blasting their way towards the Droid Control Ship. The TIEs have their hands full with the vulture droids, but both sides are happy to target X-Wings when they see them. Poe takes out a TIE fighter that's on Rose's tail. But Chewie is having a hard time flying with all of Threepio's parts on his lap, between him and the controls. He takes a hit to one of his engines, and the X-Wing lists to one side. Poe and Rose come in on either side of him to start to try to escort him towards the Droid Control Ship. But it's going to be real tough. There's an entire swarm of vulture droids swooping and circling, guarding the entrance.</p><p>Kylo Ren has almost reached where Rey is pinned. She struggles desperately, trying to push her way out from under the debris. Then she looks up and sees the furious look on Kylo's face and remembers her training. She steadies herself and breathes slowly, then reaches out with a hand, face calm but focused. Her lightsaber REIGNITES and flies through the air, spinning as it does, and FLASHES THROUGH THE DEBRIS, cutting Rey free. She drops nimbly to the next level of catwalk and catches her lightsaber as it flies back to her hand.</p><p>Kylo Ren looks down at her. He's almost impressed. Rey smiles at him. She had amazing teachers: Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa. Kylo's face turns cold instantly, and he shouts that both of them were LIARS. He raises his lightsaber high and leaps down at her in an overhead swing. She dodges out of the way and he lands hard, but comes up swinging. The duel continues, but now as they fight they yell at each other between blows.</p><p>Kylo shouts that he's read the Jedi texts now. He's been to the Jedi Temple. Luke, Leia, all the old Jedi, they were all liars. Worse, they were COWARDS. Even the Sith. None of them had the strength to TRULY unleash the Force. None of them were willing to use it to reshape the galaxy. Not like him. He's making something better than any of them, something he can control.</p><p>Rey starts to say that the Force isn't about controlling people, but she falters as she realizes that she's been using it for exactly that. Kylo Ren understands immediately, and he nods at her, taking a step back, lowering his lightsaber and relenting his attack. He tells her he knows what it's like, to wish people would just LISTEN and DO WHAT YOU TELL THEM. The Force has great power over the weak minded, but compared to them, EVERYONE'S minds are weak. He once more offers a hand to Rey. With the two of them joining together, they could bring the whole galaxy into unity. Under their control, no one would ever have to fight each other again. Rey is horrified at this image, and furiously raises her lightsaber and launches herself at him.</p><p>Captain Phasma slowly circles Finn, blaster raised, taunting him. For a long time, she saw him as her greatest failure. Someone her conditioning didn't work on. Someone who turned his back on her. But now she's realized: the flaw was never with her work, the flaw was with him. He's DEFECTIVE. And now she's finally going to fix the error. Phasma comes to a stop facing Finn, standing between him and the Stormtroopers. She orders the troopers to fire on her mark, and they all raise their rifles to aim at Finn. But the Sergeant hesitates, looking at her troops and then looking at Finn. </p><p>Finn stares Phasma down, unflinching. This is not like the last time he was almost executed. He knows who he is now. He's not afraid. She counts down. Three. Two. The troopers suddenly open fire--on PHASMA, shooting her in the back. She is knocked to her knees, but her armorweave cape protects her from death. She furiously shouts that they're all TRAITORS and starts to fire on the Stormtroopers, who dive for cover. Finn stares in shock for a moment, but recovers quickly. He grabs the fallen turret cannon that he dropped earlier, and points it at Phasma. He shoots her with it once, and she is knocked down. </p><p>But she's still not finished. She staggers back up to a knee. Finn proudly says that he wasn't a defective Stormtrooper for refusing to kill civilians--SHE was a defective PERSON for ordering him to. He doesn't shoot her again. Instead he shoots the section of scaffolding behind her, which collapses and pins her to the catwalk. Her blaster is knocked out of her hand, and Finn kicks it off the edge of the catwalk, watching it fall away into nothing.</p><p>Then he goes back to the Stormtroopers and thanks them for saving his life. The Sergeant says she was repaying the favor. After a beat, she takes her helmet off. The other troopers hesitate, and then follow suit. They're all young conscripts, late teens and early twenties. Mostly human, but a few are humanoid nonhuman species. Finn asks how they got here and if they have a way off the ring. The Sergeant says they have a dropship not too far away, but there's a lot of Droids between here and there, and half her troops are injured. Finn says he's gonna get them there--together. He's not leaving any of the wounded behind. He starts putting together a plan, falling comfortably into the role of battlefield leader.</p><p>Poe brings his X-Wing on a sweep past the vulture droid swarm, picking off half a dozen of them, but there's just too many. There's absolutely no way through. Suddenly a voice calls out to all three of the X-Wing pilots--Threepio, hailing them! Chewbacca looks in confusion at Threepio's deactivated head in his lap, but no, the voice is coming from his commlink. Poe asks where the hell Threepio is and what's going on. Threepio says that he's inside the Droid Core Unit! They were still connected when his body was blasted, and the Core Unit stored his entire personality matrix to save him. If they can bring his body back, he can be reuploaded into it!</p><p>Rose asks Threepio if the Core Unit can do anything about the vulture droids. Threepio consults with the Core Unit for a moment, then replies that it can't disable them entirely due to the override. But it can overload their systems and scramble them, at least for a moment. It isn't much, but Rose says it's better than nothing. She, Poe, and Chewie line up their X-Wings for another run at the hangar entrance. As they're on their way in, another TIE comes up behind them and hits Chewie's already-damaged ship again. Rose does a loop and takes out the TIE, but Chewie's X-Wing is losing power. He's not going to make it.</p><p>Poe grits his teeth and tells Threepio to stun the vulture droids. Then he flies his X-Wing DIRECTLY UNDERNEATH CHEWIE'S, and comes up to meet it from below, using his X-Wing to CARRY IT. BB-8 bleeps angrily as the X-Wing's engines strain under the weight. Threepio says he's activating the pulse, and sure enough all the vulture droids suddenly falter, spiralling randomly in all directions instead of their tight swarming pattern. Rose, Poe, and Chewbacca slip through, flying into the hangar bay and heading for the Falcon! They blast battle droids as they go, and land back at the Falcon at last.</p><p>Phasma twitches and jerks awake. She's facedown on a catwalk, pinned under a pile of wreckage. Her right arm is free, but the other is stuck. She uses her free arm to try to lift herself up, but it's no good. Her left arm is well and truly stuck. She flexes the fingers of her left hand and watches as her fingers spark and twitch. She reaches out with her right hand and picks up a jagged chunk of metal. Then she brings it down and HACKS OFF HER OWN TRAPPED ARM AT THE SHOULDER. It takes a few swings to get through the layers of metal and wiring--that arm is entirely cybernetic. But it works. With a furious strength, she rips herself free of the wreckage, leaving her destroyed left arm behind. She pushes herself to her feet, the shredded remnants of her cape billowing in the wind behind her.</p><p>Rey and Kylo Ren continue to clash. Rey is on the offensive now, pressing him back. He's still not as good at navigating the scaffolding as she is, and he has to focus more on just getting around. She's angry, and her anger is fueling her attack. They emerge onto a section of catwalk that's been exposed to the open air by the destruction of the ring. </p><p>Kylo finds his footing again and says that Rey can never truly defeat him because deep down, she doesn't want to. She knows that they're the same. Both of them were abandoned by their families. Both of them are alone in the galaxy. Rey says she's not alone. She has a family. She had to find them, but now she knows who they are. Kylo Ren CHOSE not to have a family. This enrages Kylo. He flexes his hand, and bolts of lightning start to arc between his fingertips. He didn't choose to leave his family, THEY left HIM. So he had to kill them. And if she makes him, he'll kill Rey's new family too.</p><p>That hangs in the air for a moment, and we watch as Rey's anger grows. Anger at Kylo Ren for having killed his own family, her beloved mentors, and for threatening to kill her loved ones. Then in a flash, Kylo Ren raises his hand and UNLEASHES A BLAST OF FORCE LIGHTNING AT REY. She reacts on instinct, bringing up her hand to match, and SHOOTS LIGHTNING RIGHT BACK. The bolts collide in the air, sparking and exploding between the two of them.</p><p>Down in the scaffolding, Finn and his new Stormtrooper friends have made it back to their dropship. He and the Sergeant cover the other troopers, picking off a few more battle droids as the wounded get aboard. Then a voice calls out to Finn: it's PHASMA. Again. Sparks fly from the shredded ruins of her shoulder. She tells him to STOP RUNNING. Finn shakes his head. He doesn't take orders from her any more. She says he never followed orders in the first place. Finn says that's a fair point. Then he shoots her.</p><p>She stumbles back as the bolt pings off her chestplate, but keeps her footing. She charges at Finn unarmed. He mutters that she just keeps on coming back for more beatings, and ducks under her first wild punch. He dodges backwards, moving around the side of the dropship. She swings another punch at him and he barely moves to the side. Her chrome fist hits the dropship hard enough to leave a huge dent. Finn looks in fear at her sheer strength as he backs further away.</p><p>The Sergeant calls to Finn over Phasma's shoulder. Finn says he'd welcome any help she can offer right about now. Without even looking away from Finn, Phasma scoops up a chunk of metal wreckage and throws it backwards at the Sergeant. The Sergeant ducks out of the way, then pulls something small and round off her belt. She rolls it along the ground past Phasma to Finn, who scoops it up and looks at it--it's a miniature THERMAL DETONATOR. He says yeah, this helps.</p><p>Finn waits until Phasma gets a little closer. Then he rushes her and TACKLES HER TO THE GROUND. Surprised by his attack, she falls backwards, but she hits the ground rolling, flipping him off of her with a kick. Finn falls back, clutching at his midsection where she hit him. Phasma says that was POINTLESS--just like everything else in his miserable life.</p><p>Finn says nah. He made his point just fine. It's not his fault if she doesn't get it. Then Phasma hears the beeping, and looks down to see the thermal detonator right where Finn put it--jammed into the exposing wiring of her damaged shoulder, inside her armor. She frantically reaches for it, but too late! Finn curls into a protective ball as PHASMA EXPLODES, the pieces of her silver armor flying in every direction.</p><p>The Sergeant rushes to Finn and helps him to his feet. He's singed and bruised, but intact. He looks down at what's left of Phasma--a smoking chunk of helmet and chestplate and some ruined cybernetics. Finn shakes his head and tells her to stay dead this time. Then he lets the Sergeant lead him into the dropship. As they get aboard, his commlink crackles as he gets a call from Poe, saying they're ready to come get him. He replies that he's got his own ride. He'll meet them in orbit!</p><p>Back near the Falcon, Chewbacca has Threepio's head plugged into a wall terminal. After a moment's pause, Threepio's eyes light up again, and he happily reports that the download is complete. Chewie unplugs the head and carries all of the parts up the Falcon's ramp. He roars to Poe and Rose, who are still in their X-Wings. Poe asks Rose if the hyperdrives in these things are working, and she says they are. He's delighted. He tells Chewie to take the Falcon, he's not giving up his shiny new X-Wing. He's been wanting one of these things for ages. They'll all fly out together. </p><p>The Falcon powers up and the three ships start to fly together towards the Hangar Bay entrance. Poe spots the vulture droids, back in formation, blocking the way out. He radios Chewie, who roars the question to Threepio's head. Threepio says he's not connected to the Core Unit any more, so Chewie patches his head directly into the commlink circuit. Threepio confers with the Core Unit and reports back: it can't do the same trick again. The vulture droids have isolated their swarm circuits. Poe curses, but Threepio slowly adds that there is... one more thing it can do. All the drones are still being operated centrally. So if the Core Unit overloads its own main reactor and self destructs, they'll all deactivate.</p><p>Poe tells Threepio to make it happen, and Threepio talks to the Core Unit one more time. Even in binary, we can hear the regret and apology in his robotic voice. The digital sound of affirmation that comes back through the transmitter is in a bright and proud tone. We see the main reactors in the back of the Hangar Bay spinning brighter and brighter, flooded with too much power. They spark, glitch, and then EXPLODE. We see the terminal of the Droid Core Unit for just a moment as the explosion reaches there too, destroying it immediately.</p><p>All of the vulture droids fall away, but now the Falcon and the two X-Wings must outrace the explosion, flying out through the Hangar Bay! BB-8 puts everything the X-Wing has into its engines, and barely, just barely, the three ships make it out, fire licking at their tails. </p><p>Threepio looks out of the Falcon's cockpit window at the exploding Droid Control Ship and says a quiet thanks to the Core Unit. Across the ring, we see battle droids of all kinds deactivating. Stormtroopers look worriedly at them, not sure if they're going to reactivate again. Poe calls to Finn again, asking where he is. He says he's on one of the troop transports on its way out. Poe asks why, and Finn says it's a long story. He'll tell it when they get back. He asks if they've heard from Rey. Rose says she's looking for her, but doesn't see her anywhere. She must still be inside the ring. Then Rose says she's spotted her--fighting Kylo Ren!</p><p>We return to that fight, where she and Kylo Ren are still joined by a stream of lightning flowing from their outstretched hands. We can now clearly see the differences even in their lightning. Kylo Ren's lightning is wild, chaotic, leaping away from his hands in all directions. As much of it is hitting the structure around him as is going towards Rey. Some of it is even looping back to hit him. Rey's bolts are tight, focused, but thick and powerful. She's starting to push the sparking center of the blast back towards him.</p><p>They look up at each other and make eye contact, and suddenly their minds are joined. Rey's eyes open wide in shock at the link. Their minds are totally open to each other. We see images, flashes of thought and memory from both of them in rapid succession--Rey's parents leaving; young Ben blasting Luke with the force; Rey finding the lightsaber in Maz Kanata's castle; a teenage Ben sparring with the Knights of Ren while Snoke watches in his throne room; Rey fighting Luke on Ahch-To in the rain; Kylo Ren smashing his helmet in rage; Rey and Kylo Ren back to back fighting Snoke's Praetorian Guard in the throne room; Luke facing off against Kylo Ren on Crait; Kylo Ren training his own army of Sith Squires; Rey building her new lightsaber while Leia watches proudly; Kylo watching the Knights of Ren build the crystal machine in the Jedi Archives; Leia's funeral on Kashyyyk; Tychus Ren executing rejected younglings.</p><p>The visions end. The lightning is still sparking between them, but Rey is suddenly distracted, overwhelmed by what she just saw. She knows what Kylo Ren has planned for the children--and for the galaxy. Kylo Ren takes advantage of her distraction, and with a yell of anger he redoubles his Force lightning. It crackles in every direction, causing massive explosions and sparks from the scaffolding, but it also pushes through Rey's weakened bolts. Rey is hit by a BLAST OF LIGHTNING which lifts her up and THROWS HER OFF THE CATWALK, out into the open sky of Kuat. </p><p>Kylo stops suddenly, though bolts still spark off of his hand uncontrollably to the catwalk under his feet. He runs to where Rey fell and looks over the side, clearly worried that he actually killed her. He's thrown back by a blast of wind as the MILLENNIUM FALCON RISES UP. Rey is kneeling on top of it, clinging to a greeble for support. She and Kylo Ren share one last long moment of eye contact. Then the Falcon rises higher, breaking their line of sight. Rey makes her way to the top hatch and drops into the Falcon. </p><p>Kylo Ren is left standing alone on the ring, which is tearing itself apart around him. He watches the Falcon fly away, his face full of bitter rage.</p><p>Rey makes it to the cockpit of the Falcon and collapses into the pilot's seat. Chewbacca roars a warm greeting, as does Threepio's head, still plugged into the console. Rey greets them both, but she's clearly still shaken and injured. Rose calls to her over the commlink, and she confirms she's aboard. With everyone safe, the Falcon and the two X-Wings head skyward. They catch up with the First Order dropship. </p><p>Finn says this time he can get them past the Star Destroyer, and we see him nod in approval to the Sergeant. She signals the Destroyer, saying that they're transporting captured Resistance members and ships offworld and will be going on their own. After a moment, she gets approval from the Destroyer, and the ships speed past, out into orbit. All four ships together make the jump to hyperspace.</p><p>Back on the ring, Queen Velén is about to board a First Order shuttle. The captain tells her that the ring is about to fall apart, and they have to go right now. She pauses halfway up the ramp and turns. She sees Kylo Ren in the distance, striding towards the shuttle. For a moment she hesitates, considering whether or not to leave him. The Queen makes her decision: she turns and calls up the ramp, telling the captain to wait just a moment longer.</p><p>As Kylo Ren arrives, she greets the Supreme Leader and tells him that she held a shuttle for him. She clearly expects to be rewarded for this, but Kylo Ren's mind is elsewhere. He brushes past her as he boards the shuttle, ignoring her once again. She bristles as she follows him aboard. The shuttle lifts off, heading for orbit as the ring completely collapses behind it.</p><p>In hyperspace, the Stormtrooper Sergeant comes to Finn in the cockpit and tells him that all of the injured are in stable condition. They still need real medical attention, but they're alive, and that's thanks to him. Finn says the medics at the Resistance base will patch up her squad good as new. She asks if he's sure the Resistance will really welcome a bunch of turncoat Stormtroopers. He assures her they will, and asks her to trust him. She thanks him, but she calls him 2187. He cuts her off and reminds her that his name is Finn now. A realization strikes him: she needs a name too. She says her designation is JN-1499, and after a moment of consideration, he offers her the name of a famous hero of the Rebellion--JYN. She thinks it over but decides that's a little too much to live up to. Finn nods understandingly and instead proposes Jannah. She tries it on, saying it a few times. She decides she likes it, and smiles warmly.</p><p>The other unmasked troopers start coming up to Finn, asking for names of their own. Finn laughs delightedly, but he's also slightly overwhelmed. This is a lot. He says he's got plenty of time on the journey to help them all pick good names. Then he suddenly trails off and rubs the back of his neck. He can FEEL SOMETHING. He asks Jannah if there's anyone else aboard. She says no, she's pretty sure it's just them. Her lieutenant echoes that.</p><p>But Finn shakes his head. There's definitely another person on the ship. He starts heading towards the back of the dropship. Jannah follows him, nervously keeping one hand on her blaster. Finn reaches the back and bends down to a small side compartment. We see from inside as the covering pops open, letting light in. Finn looks down at the figure curled up inside: ST-1138, the runaway Zabrak Sith Squire. She looks up at him in terror, and Finn looks down at her mystified. </p><p>Jannah takes a step toward the compartment and raises her blaster at the stowaway. Purely on instinct, 1138 raises both hands and BLASTS JANNAH BACK WITH THE FORCE, knocking her across the hold. Finn immediately jumps up and puts himself between the two of them. It's a tense moment. Jannah and the other Stormtroopers at first seem like they're ready to fight the child, but Finn insists they have to put their blasters down. After a moment Jannah reluctantly does so, and her troopers follow suit. </p><p>Finn looks at 1138's clothing and realizes: she's a runaway cadet, isn't she? She nods slowly, fearfully. Finn explains that he's just like her. He's promises he's not going to hurt her. She just has to trust him, and they're going to figure this out together. He realizes she doesn't have a name either, and asks if she wants one. She says she's not sure. Finn says he can give her one for now, just to try on, and if she doesn't like it, she can always pick another one later. She says her designation was ST-1138. After a moment's thought, Finn gives her a new name: Stow, short for stowaway. He smiles at her, and this time Stow actually gives a small smile back. He offers her a hand and says that he's Finn, and it's nice to meet her. Behind them, the Stormtroopers look on in wonder at this gesture of kindness, so alien to their experience of the galaxy.</p>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. ACT FOUR (i)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>At the Resistance base on Kashyyyk, Connix tells the person at the communications terminal to try again. They say they will, but it's still not working. One of the Wookiee ground crew runs in and roars excitedly. They're back! Connix runs outside just in time to see the Millennium Falcon and the two X-Wings make their landing on the huge branch. She greets Poe warmly as he climbs out of his X-Wing, then rushes to embrace Rose. The two kiss, and Rose teases Connix about worrying too much about her.</p><p>Connix asks how the mission went. Rose gives the mixed news: they didn't hijack the battle droids, but at least the First Order didn't get them either. Poe asks Connix if they've gotten any more outreach from scattered friends, and Connix shakes her head grimly. She says it's not because people aren't reaching out, though. It's much worse than that. In order to stop people from organizing against them, the First Order has suspended ALL interplanetary private communication systems. Poe is shocked. Can they even do that? Rose sighs. They can, because the owners of the HoloNet corporations are on the First Order Council. That's why so much of the "news" is just First Order propaganda, and now it's the only media people will have. Connix says that the last message they got before the blackout was from Snap. Black Squadron made it to Mon Calamari and made contact with the friendly forces on the ground, but they're all trapped behind a blockade and haven't figured out a way through yet.</p><p>Chewie comes down the Falcon's ramp carrying Threepio's parts, including Threepio's once-again-talkative head. The Wookiee techs take the parts and carry Threepio off towards their workshop, promising to repair him as quickly as possible. Artoo rolls after them, whistling at Threepio in amusement. Threepio makes a snide comment about how when one Wookiee repaired him, his head wound up on backwards, and that he's worried more of them will just make it worse. Artoo beeps something that Threepio most DEFINITELY does not find comforting.</p><p>Rey comes down the Falcon's ramp and starts to say she has important news to share. But before she can, Connix points in horror: the First Order has found them again. A First Order dropship is coming down, but Rose grabs Connix before she can sound the alarm and tells her that it's actually Finn. He just... made some new friends. Connix doesn't look too happy about it, but she doesn't sound the alarm.</p><p>The dropship opens up and Finn comes out, followed by Jannah and her squad. Finn assures everyone that Jannah is on their side now, just like him. He tells Connix that some of the Stormtroopers are hurt pretty bad and need medical attention. Connix hesitates, but nods and calls for a medic. A few of the troopers carry the injured ones on stretchers off towards the medical area.</p><p>Jannah explains what happened to them. They were abandoned and mistreated by their commanding officer, but then Finn saved them. They weren't sure where else to go, really, but they trust Finn. If the Resistance will take them, they'd be happy to stay, but if not, they'll leave and try to find their own way in the galaxy. Connix is clearly skeptical. She asks if they're willing to fight the First Order and turn on other Stormtroopers. Jannah looks at the rest of her squad uncomfortably, but before she has to reply Rose steps in. She gives Connix a nonplussed glare and assures Jannah that the Stormtroopers are welcome to stay. Everyone is a work in progress, and no one is going to demand they do anything drastic right after what they've been through. They should go get some rest. Jannah accepts that, and one of the Resistance crew leads her and the rest of the squad off to find a place to bunk. Finn tells Jannah he'll come check in on her later. Joining the Resistance is a bit of a shock, but he made the adjustment and he's sure she can too.</p><p>Finn turns to Rey, who has been watching nervously. She still has news to share. Finn says there's someone she needs to meet first. He waves in the direction of the dropship and says it's okay to come out. The young Zabrak comes down the ramp, looking around nervously. Finn introduces her as Stow, a runaway who made it out. He tells Stow to tell Rey what she told him about what's happening on Coruscant.</p><p>It takes Stow a minute to build up the courage, but she tells her story. She says that at first she was just an ordinary Stormtrooper cadet, taken from her family when she was barely old enough to remember them. But recently all the top-scoring trooper cadets have been getting pulled out and taken aside to be tested. She takes out the small crystal from the test and holds it out in the palm of her hand. It glows red, then floats into the air as she talks. They wanted to see if she could use the Force. The ones who can are trained as Sith Squires to join the Knights of Ren. The ones who can't... she doesn't want to think about it. </p><p>Poe asks how she got away. Stow says she was scared of the Knights of Ren, so she hid her crystal during the test and then snuck away as soon as she could. Rose says she's proud of her. Stow gives a tiny smile, but she says her best friend is still back there, and so are tons more. Just kids, like her.</p><p>Rey looks grim but nods and says she knows about this, and it's even worse. Finn is slightly incredulous--worse than Kylo Ren training an army of baby Sith and killing the rejects!? Rey explains that this is what she wanted to tell them about. When she fought him on Kuat, she saw into Kylo Ren's mind and saw what he and the Knights of Ren are planning. They're building a giant focusing crystal, and once he has enough Sith Squires under his control Kylo Ren is going to channel all of their power through it. He's going to influence the minds of the entire galaxy. He's going to warp everyone's minds into thinking Luke Skywalker was evil, that the Jedi were the real villains, and that only the First Order can protect the galaxy. If the machine works, people won't just think it's true, they won't remember having ever thought anything else.</p><p>After a moment of stunned horror, Connix is the first one to speak up, collapsing the metaphor entirely. She says that after that, they won't even ever need propaganda again. Its job will be done. Rose says the stakes are higher than ever. This isn't just about the war they're fighting now, it's about any chance of the galaxy even having a future. They have to stop this. Poe is the practical one, saying that they just have to get there and blow up the machine and rescue the kids before this all goes down, right? Should be doable.</p><p>Finn agrees, but adds that that won't be the end. Stow and the other kids like her will need training in how to handle their Force powers. He reaches over and Stow puts the crystal in his hands. And actually... he's also going to need that training. Sure enough, THE CRYSTAL GLOWS FOR HIM TOO. He'd started to suspect, but it wasn't until he found Stow that he really got it. He can feel the Force too. He turns to Rey and looks at her nervously. Will she do it? Will she teach him and Stow about the Force? </p><p>All eyes turn to Rey. No one says a word, but their thoughts are clear: with Luke and Leia gone, Rey is the only one who can teach the next generation of Force-users.</p><p>Rey looks at Finn, at the nervous hope in his eyes. She looks at Stow, young and alone and afraid. She looks at the other Resistance members, her friends, her family. But all she can think of is her own fear, and the darkness inside her. A wave of panic wells up inside her. She says she's sorry, she's sorry, she just... she can't. She can't teach them. Finn starts to ask why not, but before he even finishes the sentence she bursts out angrily that she just CAN'T. Her words are backed by a burst of uncontrolled Force, physically knocking everyone around her away. Rey looks at them all apologetically, sadly, and says that this is why not. She'll just hurt them if she tries.</p><p>She turns and LEAPS OFF THE BRANCH, vanishing into the dense forest of Kashyyyk. Finn calls for her to come back, but it's too late. The best hope for the galaxy has run away.</p><p>WIPE TO:</p><p>Coruscant. Hux storms into the Archive Chamber, brushing past the various Knights of Ren with a sneer of disgust. He finds Kylo Ren working on the machine, aided by Valo Ren. </p><p>Hux is angry, but carefully regulates his rage, acutely aware that he is surrounded by the Knights. He asks when Kylo Ren was going to inform him that he had returned from Kuat. He had to find out from Queen Velén.</p><p>Kylo is dismissive. Yes, he's back, but his focus is on finishing the machine. The plan to end the Skywalker legacy and cement control over the galaxy. Nothing else matters.</p><p>Hux begins to lose control of his anger. He shouts that they lost the droid army, and now even Phasma is dead, and that isn't IMPORTANT? Kylo says that compared to the machine, no, none of it is important. Hux says he should have known this would happen. Of course Kylo Ren is running away from his responsibilities to work on some machine. Just like his father would.</p><p>That gets Kylo's attention. He slowly asks Hux to repeat himself. Hux begins to, and Kylo cuts him off by furiously shouting that HE HAS NO FATHER. He blasts Hux out of the room, launching him down the hall and out the doors. Hux lands in a heap, tumbling end over end. He struggles back to his feet and runs towards the hall, but two of the Knights of Ren slam the door in his face. He seethes. Then his anger solidifies into resolve. He knows what he has to do. He storms off.</p><p>WIPE TO:</p><p>Rey sits alone at the foot of one of the vast trees, nestled among roots three times her height. She cries softly, looking down at the lightsaber held loosely in her hands. She is angry at herself, but worse than that--she is disappointed.</p><p>A voice speaks to her out of the air. The voice of Luke Skywalker, saying that he hopes she's not going to sit around and feel sorry for herself for as long as he did. Rey looks up to see his glowing blue ghostly silhouette stepping out from among the ferns.</p><p>She's shocked for a moment--she's never seen a Force ghost before. But she recovers quickly, and tries to wipe her eyes. She's ashamed of Luke finding her like this. She admits that she ran away, but insists it was for a good reason. They want a teacher, but she's in no position to teach them. She's so angry all the time, and she keeps doing terrible things. </p><p>Luke asks why she's so angry, and she says it's because she's angry at the galaxy for being so unfair. She's angry at injustice, at cruelty, and at indifference in the face of it. She's angry at people who see how twisted the galaxy is and decide it's easier to just do nothing. And she's angry at herself for not being able to fix all of it.</p><p>Luke says that he can't really blame her for being angry about all that. Rey is surprised. But isn't anger the path to the dark side? That's what Leia told her. Luke shrugs. That's what he was told too. But the more time passes, the more he's realizing that maybe it's more complicated than that. Sometimes anger can be a powerful motivator to do good. It's not about never being angry--it's about why you're angry, and then what you do with that anger.</p><p>Rey asks what she SHOULD do with her anger, then. Luke shakes his head. He doesn't have all the answers. She's going to have to figure that out for herself. Rey sighs and frowns. All the more reason she's not ready to teach. How can she teach others if she's still figuring out so much herself? </p><p>Luke laughs harshly. He certainly didn't have a clue what he was doing when he started teaching. He sits down with her. Being a teacher isn't about knowing everything. It's about trying to guide people, and learning together. As often as not, teachers learn as much from their students as vice versa.</p><p>Finally Rey asks the real question that's weighing on her: what if she fails? After all... he did.</p><p>Luke sighs. Yes, he did. He failed. He should have talked to Ben as soon as Snoke first made contact. Instead he waited and let his fears fester and foment. Snoke whispered to Ben for years, tempting him with power, stoking the potential darkness inside him. Until that fateful night... But now Luke can see that his failure was worse than just his moment of weakness with Ben. His real failure was in what came after: of being so afraid of doing the wrong thing and making things worse that he gave up on ever trying to make things better. </p><p>Rey asks Luke if he thinks he could have changed things if he had tried. Luke says maybe. Perhaps he could have brought Ben back to the light before Snoke took him to the Knights of Ren, and he became Kylo Ren. But Luke didn't, so the galaxy will never know. Rey asks who the Knights of Ren are. Luke explains that they're what really doomed Ben. They're a group of angry young people, all sensitive to the Force, who felt through the Force how broken the galaxy was. And rather than try to fix it, they decided to lash out in their pain and make things worse. Even before they found Snoke they embraced the dark side, creating their own path to power from old rumors and scavenged Holocrons, and Kylo Ren found kindred spirits in them. They encouraged all of his worst traits, and accompanied him down the dark paths that Snoke started him towards. Luke could have tried to offer him another path, but instead he fled from his guilt, consumed by his own feelings of failure.</p><p>That's what he's really ashamed of. So yes, she's going to make mistakes. Of course she's going to make mistakes, and sometimes she's going to fail. And when she does, she should LEARN from that and do better the next time. Then she'll be even better prepared to learn from the next failure. That's how learning works. I mean, look at him, he's DEAD and he's still learning!</p><p>Rey mulls it all over. She nods slowly and thanks Luke. No one else will teach them, so she's going to do her best. She gets up and FORCE JUMPS back up into the branches.</p><p>Luke calls after her to wait, he wasn't done giving sagely advice! But she's already gone. He grumbles. A familiar murmur of laughter catches his attention and he looks over to see the ghost of Yoda sitting on a nearby rock, watching all of this with deep amusement. Luke shakes his head and says he's glad Yoda is enjoying this. He asks Yoda if he was this bad when he was young. With a mischievous grin Yoda says that even worse, Luke was. Now knows he how Yoda felt when Luke to Cloud City ran off, hmmmm? Luke glowers at Yoda and then heads off through the trees, following Rey.</p><p>FADE TO:</p><p>Back at the Resistance base, Stow is sitting atop a crate on the massive landing branch, looking worriedly into the dark forest. Nearby, Finn and Poe are sitting together. Finn is anxiously looking out over the edge of the branch, surveying the forest. He's worrying aloud that Rey's not coming back. Should he go after her? Would he just make it worse? </p><p>Poe encourages him to calm down. Rey will come back when she's good and ready. She's just... stressed. Poe sighs. He's stressed too. And tired. And you know what? Finn was right. He should've taken that last mission off. He was so tired that he got sloppy, and it almost got him killed. Him and BB-8 both.</p><p>Finn halfway shrugs it off, but he's clearly genuinely touched. He says he's just watching Poe's back, because someone has to, what with Poe so busy trying to save the whole galaxy. Poe raises an eyebrow and asks if his back is really what Finn is always staring at. Finn grins and says yeah, his back. And maybe a little lower. Poe nods, impressed at Finn's boldness. He says if Finn is so fascinated, he's welcome to take a closer look.</p><p>Finn attempts to say another suave thing but can't think of one. Instead he starts rambling about how uncomfortable Stormtrooper armor is on the butt. It's actually designed to be unpleasant to sit down in so no one ever takes breaks! So, you know, that's why he's looking. He wants to, uh, learn how to... wear pants more comfortably. Poe always looks so comfortable!</p><p>Poe leans back, very amused. But before he can segue things back into flirtatious territory, a sound comes from the trees. Finn immediately sits up and looks out into the forest. Sure enough, it's Rey returning. He looks at Poe apologetically, torn between finally flirting openly and going to welcome Rey. Poe waves him off, telling him to go to her. Finn runs off down the branch.</p><p>Rey lands on the branch and she and Finn immediately begin talking in unison, each trying to apologize to the other. Finn apologizes for putting so much pressure on her while Rey apologizes for running away. They stop after a second and bicker about who apologizes first and apologize for interrupting each others' apologies. </p><p>Finally Rey goes first and says that she's sorry she ran away. Finn was right--he does need a teacher, and even if she won't be perfect, she'll do her best. Finn grins. He could get used to this thing where people keep telling him he's right about stuff. But... also he was wrong to ask her publicly in front of everyone like that to teach him. He knows she's not always good with crowds. She says it's alright, she understands, and they hug warmly, comfortably.</p><p>A small, shy voice interrupts their companionate moment: Stow, who has been watching from nearby, coming to ask if Rey will teach her too. Rey takes a deep breath and crouches down. She says she will, though she cautions that she can't be as good a master as Leia was to her, but she'll be better than no teacher at all. They'll mostly be figuring things out together, but at least none of them will have to be doing it alone this way.</p><p>The voice of Luke Skywalker comes to all three of them. He feels bad putting MORE pressure on her, but Rey's teaching work is even more important she knows. His glowing blue ghostly form appears on the branch with them and looks at Rey sternly. He scolds her for running off in the middle of a lesson AGAIN. She apologizes, but with an amused smile.</p><p>As Luke starts to explain, Finn absolutely loses his mind and goes into full fanboy mode. What is going ON? This is Luke Skywalker, THE Luke Skywalker! This is so cool! And he's a GHOST!? How does this WORK!? Luke repeatedly tries to get him to calm down, but Finn keeps peppering Luke with stupid questions about being a ghost and doing things like poking at him to see if he can wave a hand through him. Luke is deeply exasperated. Rey thinks this is hilarious.</p><p>It's again Stow who brings things back into focus. She realizes slowly and with deep reverence that this is the Sky-Walker, the one who stood against the dark. She bows respectfully and says that his story gave her hope when she was scared. Luke has a quiet moment of pride, relief, gratitude: it worked. It was worth it. He quickly collects himself and tells her not to bow to him. He just did what he should have done a long time ago.</p><p>Finn asks if Luke can stick around as a ghost and teach them how to be Jedi like him. Luke shakes his head. That's not his place. Things are changing. The Force itself is changing. Now that he's part of it again, he can feel it. He doesn't know why or how, but... something in the Force has shifted. Awakened. For too long, the Force was quiet, and only a few people felt its presence. Maybe it had to heal from the scars of the old wars. But now the Force is returning, and there are going to be more people like Rey and Finn and Stow. People who can use the Force. And even people who can't fully wield it will be able to feel it in their everyday lives. The Force is more present than it has been in a long time.</p><p>Rey says that's beautiful. Stow points out the danger of that: if more people than ever have it, doesn't that mean bad people too? Luke nods grimly. That's why Rey's teaching is so important. The Force is growing and changing, but that also means it's vulnerable. It can be twisted, perverted, turned into something cruel. Kylo Ren, Snoke, Palpatine--people like them want to spread fear and distrust, to turn people against each other. And that kind of hate affects the very nature of the Force. If Kylo Ren manages to inflict his plan on the galaxy, on the Force itself...</p><p>Rey shudders and says that Kylo Ren is truly a monster. Luke agrees, but adds that he's also a scared and confused young man in deep pain. Rey wonders if there's still good in him. Finn raises an eyebrow. Good? Are they talking about the same Kylo Ren? Rey says that when they connected again on Kuat, she could still feel the shadow of Ben Solo, buried down deep under layers and layers of rage. Luke sighs and says that it was the same with his father--Anakin Skywalker was somewhere inside Darth Vader. It took an enormous act of will for Anakin to fight his way back to the surface, and that final act didn't undo all the suffering that Vader was responsible for. </p><p>Rey nods and says that she and Leia talked about it. Of course Leia wished she could save her son, but she never denied what he had become and what he had done. Leia always told Rey that everyone has the capacity to change for the better... but they have to WANT to. And Kylo Ren doesn't. Luke says it's true. He wishes Ben Solo could come back, but the reality is what it is: they have to stop Kylo Ren.</p><p>Rey asks Luke what she can do about it. What she SHOULD do about it. Luke grimaces. He doesn't know. He's way out of his depth here. But he looks at her, and Stow, and Finn, and further off at Poe Dameron, who has been joined by Rose, BB-8, and R2-D2. Luke smiles and says that he knows what his sister would say: they have everything they need. They'll figure it out.</p><p>One last time, he reminds the three young Jedi-in-training: if they are in doubt... the Force will be with them. Always.</p><p>And with that Luke Skywalker turns and walks away, vanishing into the air.</p><p>Rey watches him go, then looks at Stow and Finn. Her new students. She takes a slow breath and nods to them. She's not confident, but she's going to do this anyway. She tells them that they heard Luke: they've got to save the Force.</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. ACT FOUR (ii)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>WIPE TO: </p><p>General Armitage Hux sits alone at night in the Grand Council Chamber on Coruscant, looking over his roster of troop deployments. Queen Velén walks in behind him, and he does not turn to face her. She walks to stand near his side and takes note of the large bruise on his face, and asks why Hux continues to put up with Kylo Ren.</p><p>Hux says that it is a calculation. The Knights of Ren are powerful and dangerous. In many ways, Kylo Ren is useful. And the First Order follows him. Rule through fear is powerful, and people fear Kylo Ren. Velén asks if Hux fears him. Hux says that of course he does. He's not stupid. But Hux says that his fear keeps him alive. And he and Velén are the same. They're both survivors.</p><p>Velén says that she can see he's more than that, though. He doesn't just want to survive, he wants to rule. Hux counters that she's just as ambitious as he is. After all, she's here, isn't she? She found her way to the center of power in the galaxy. Velén demurs, saying that she's doing whatever she must to keep the people of Naboo safe. The closer to power she is, the better she can do that. Hux asks why she's here to talk to him, and Velén says it's because she can tell the balance of power is about to shift again.</p><p>Hux nods slowly, deciding that even if he cannot fully trust Velén, she will be a useful ally. And with Phasma dead, he needs those. He tells her that the equation has finally shifted. Kylo Ren has always been unstable, but now he has gone too far. The galaxy needs order and control to be ruled, and Kylo Ren is going to drag it back into chaos. Hux will be the one to enforce order again. Velén smiles in agreement, and offers Hux her assistance in... re-balancing the equation.</p><p>WIPE TO:</p><p>Night time on Kashyyyk. Another ship is coming in to land at the Resistance base--the IDIOT'S ARRAY, a sleek and elegant star yacht. The ramp lowers and LANDO CALRISSIAN emerges, coming down cautiously with a blaster in hand. But he immediately lowers the blaster and laughs as he is caught up in an ENORMOUS WOOKIEE HUG by Chewbacca. He tells Chewie that he tried to get back in touch to see how things went on Kuat, but after he didn't hear back he got worried. When he realized that the First Order shut down all the comms, he thought it might be to mask some kind of attack, so he came to see if they were alright.</p><p>A moment later, Chewie's family comes out from a nearby doorway, and Lando greets each of them warmly by name. He calls up the ramp of the Idiot's Array, saying that his family actually came along too. They're all in this together. Sure enough, several people come down the ramp, a mix of humans and aliens of several genders. But before introductions start, Chewie growls something to him, and Lando understands. They'll have time to do a proper meet-and-greet later.</p><p>Chewie leads Lando into the center of the Resistance base, where the whole crew has gathered to discuss the plan. Poe has clearly settled into his role as commander, and is leading the meeting. Poe is quite happy to see Lando, and says he's just in time. Lando asks what the situation is, and the crew gives him (and the audience) a quick recap. Thanks to Stow, they know that Kylo Ren is training an army of young Sith Squires. He plans to use their combined Force strength to alter the minds of the galaxy to make everyone loyal to the First Order. He's holed up in what used to be the Imperial Palace on Coruscant, which is now the headquarters of the whole First Order.</p><p>Poe says that they've got to go to Coruscant and stop Kylo Ren before he can finish his plan, but that it's probably going to be a one way mission. All volunteers. Anyone who wants to stay here and continue to plan for what comes after... that's an absolutely worthwhile choice.</p><p>Poe looks around the room slowly. Rey knows she has to go. Finn says of COURSE he's in. Rose says she still owes the First Order a debt for Paige. BB-8 warbles a loud affirmative. Connix says she'll come, and she'll bring the Blockade Runner, but she needs someone who can fly it. R2-D2 bleeps from the doorway, getting their attention, and they turn to see a half-repaired C-3PO--still missing most of his outer plating, but on his feet--entering. He says that he may be able to help with that. He seems to have accidentally wound up with some of the flight routines from the Droid Core Unit, and he believes he can pilot the ship. Connix says she'll be glad to have him at the helm.</p><p>Another unexpected voice says that she's in: Jannah, coming in from the med bay with her lieutenant at her side. She says that the troopers talked it over, and they agreed that they want to help. But their priority isn't stopping Kylo Ren. They want to rescue the Stormtrooper cadets. Finn is proud of them and excited to have them coming along.</p><p>Chewbacca roars a loud affirmative, of course he's coming. Lando says that he's in as well, and he suspects that if more people knew about it, they'd come too. There are a lot of Resistance sympathizers out there just waiting for the call.</p><p>Poe is glad to know that everyone is in. Now they just need a plan for how to get to Kylo Ren. And to get to the Stormtrooper cadets, Finn adds. Jannah says that she might be able to help. They still have the dropship, and there are enough injured from her squad who won't be coming that a few people can use their armor as disguises. </p><p>Poe says that's a good start and will get them to the ground, but then how do they get inside? It's the Imperial Palace, it'll be incredibly well-guarded. R2-D2 chimes in with a whistle, and C-3PO translates for him. Artoo is saying that before it was the Imperial Palace, it was the Jedi Temple. Artoo still has all of the plans for it, and he knows of a hidden entrance. He can lead them in.</p><p>Rey speaks up, shaking her head. That won't be enough. She and Kylo Ren are connected. He sensed her on Kuat, and he'll sense her again on Coruscant. He'll know she's coming, and even with a back entrance they won't be able to get past the entire First Order army.</p><p>Poe thinks about it. Sounds like they need a distraction, then. A really, really big one. Like a direct aerial assault. He asks Jannah what the defenses are like. Jannah says that there's a whole fleet of Star Destroyers protecting Coruscant... but actually, the First Order doesn't have enough troops to man all of them. Two thirds of them are sitting empty. That's part of why they needed the droid army. Most of the actual manned Star Destroyers are scattered elsewhere in the galaxy, trying to crush small rebellions elsewhere.</p><p>Rose says that even one Star Destroyer is too many. They only have two X-Wings, the Falcon, one First Order Dropship, Lando's ship, and the Blockade Runner. They can't even take down one Star Destroyer with just that. Poe says he knows, but they're not trying to take out the fleet, just distract it long enough for the ground forces to do their mission. Finn agrees with Rose. A fleet this small won't be a big enough threat to divert the First Order's forces. Maybe if they could contact their other allies and bring everyone together... but no, Connix confirms that only the public communications channels are available. They don't have any way to coordinate a strike.</p><p>Poe has a really stupid idea. But he doesn't want to go through with it unless everyone is on board. The point is to convince the First Order that there's a big threat, right? So what if they just tell the First Order about the secret Resistance armada that they've built, and that they're bringing it to Coruscant to take down the First Order Grand Council directly. Rey looks at him in confusion and says that they don't HAVE a secret armada. Sure, Poe says, but the First Order doesn't know that. Finn looks worried. It's a hell of a bluff. But you know... he's seen Poe Dameron bluff, and he's a damn good sabacc player. It just might work.</p><p>Connix isn't convinced. They'll still be alone against all these Star Destroyers. Poe says not necessarily. He asks BB-8 if they've still got the Galactic Broadcast Codes, and BB-8 confirms that they do. Poe says that what if they broadcast their announcement to the whole galaxy? Issue the challenge publicly. They can't get a message to their allies privately, but if Lando is right... Lando smiles and says he's sure. Luke and Leia's messages changed things. It won't be like Crait. The galaxy will have their back this time. Connix says she hopes he's right.</p><p>Poe pauses and turns to Lando and Chewie. He says that they've been doing this a lot longer than he has. What do they think of the plan? Lando recaps the plan: announce to the entire galaxy that the Resistance Armada--which may or may not exist--is going to storm Coruscant, all as a distraction so that the First Order fleet won't notice Rey and a small ground team infiltrating the Imperial Palace to turn off the evil mind control machine and save the cadets. Lando thinks about it. He says it sounds absolutely crazy, and that he wouldn't want it any other way. It reminds him of the stupid plans Han and Leia dragged him into back in the Rebellion days.</p><p>Rose hesitantly asks how often those plans worked. Lando admits that they rarely stuck to the initial plans, but they got very good at improvising new ones! Chewbacca nods in agreement, and then weighs in with his opinion. It's a long and thoughtful series of growls and barks, and everyone nods solemnly. Rey says that she's honored, and they'll all do their best to live up to that.</p><p>Poe says it's settled, then. It might not be a perfect plan, but it's the one they've got. He asks Connix and Rose how soon they can be ready. They exchange a glance, and say that they've already been keeping everything prepped. They can be ready in an hour.</p><p>Poe says that that's great, but that he's actually going to recommend that they wait. He says they should get a full night's rest, and grins at Finn gratefully. Finn smiles back in approval. Poe says they should all be at their best for this one. It's worth it to take a night to rest and recover and go in hard tomorrow. He's grateful to all of them for putting their trust in him. He couldn't ask for a better band of idiots to save the galaxy with.</p><p>WIPE TO:</p><p>The same night, on Coruscant. In the ruins of the Jedi Archives, Kylo Ren sits hunched before an altar to his grandfather. An enormous bust of the great helmet of DARTH VADER looms over a pedestal holding the slagged remains of the real helmet.</p><p>As he has before, Kylo Ren speaks to it as if in confessional. He admits that even after all of this, he has doubts. He has so many questions, and everywhere he turns for answers he is disappointed. His parents. Luke Skywalker. Snoke. And now Rey. None of them had the answers he wanted. The answers he needed. He's just... so lost. But he's all out of teachers. He has to make his own answers now.</p><p>He does not understand why Rey will not join him. Their connection was so strong. He thought she could see what he saw, but she keeps pushing him away. When he sees her he still has tiny pangs where he wonders: is she right? Is he truly the monster that she sees him as? He has done everything he can to burn away those feelings, but still they persist. He wishes he could hear the guidance of his grandfather, but even that voice in his dreams has abandoned him.</p><p>To his surprise, a voice answers him. But it is not Darth Vader, it is Tychus Ren. Tychus tells him that his doubts don't matter. The only thing that matters is the strength of his convictions. Tychus knows Kylo won't give up now. If he did... all of his work would have been for nothing in the end. He can't stop here. Tychus says that the other Knights of Ren wouldn't understand, but that he does. If it weren't so nakedly manipulative, it would almost be a tender moment.</p><p>Kylo Ren reaffirms his commitment to his path. Of course it wasn't for nothing. Of course he's doing the right thing, and has been since the beginning. He's not weak, he's not a coward, and he will finish what he started. No one will stop it. No one CAN stop it.</p><p>Tychus assures him he won't tell the other Knights about this moment of weakness. Kylo Ren agrees. No, Tychus won't. He ignites his lightsaber and reaches out with the Force and PULLS TYCHUS TO HIM. Tychus tries to resist, flailing in the air, and for a moment it seems like he might succeed--but Kylo is too strong. Tychus is impaled on the saber. </p><p>But Kylo Ren is not done with him. He uses the Force to carry Tychus--who is still coughing, not quite dead--through the chamber to the great machine, which is finished at last. Kylo thanks Tychus for helping remind him of the importance of their work. He needed that. And now Tychus will help see it through to the end. He raises a hand, concentrating, and Tychus begins to twitch in agony. The crystal glows brighter as Tychus' energy is drained into it.</p><p>After a minute, it is done. Tychus' withered husk drops to the ground. Kylo Ren looks down at it coldly. </p><p>WIPE TO: </p><p>The Resistance Base. Jannah and her lieutenant are loading gear onto the dropship. Connix watches them dubiously from across the landing branch, arms crossed.</p><p>Rose comes up to her and asks her what's wrong. Connix is evasive at first, but finally admits to Rose that she just can't trust the Stormtroopers. Especially with everything so fragile, who's to say they won't just rat them out to the First Order? After all... they're Stormtroopers. They've been conditioned from childhood to worship the First Order, and she's supposed to just accept that they've changed overnight?</p><p>Rose listens to her gently and says it's okay to be skeptical. She gets it. But they have to be willing to try to trust. To offer people second chances. I mean, look at Finn--he was a Stormtrooper. And the first time she met him, he was trying to desert the fleet, run for his life. But she gave him a chance to change, and look how far he's come. Rose isn't saying Connix has to trust blindly, but... everyone deserves a shot at redemption. Especially people who have never known there was another option. Stormtroopers didn't choose to join the First Order. This is the first time in their lives they're making a real choice, and this is what they're choosing.</p><p>Connix sighs and asks what happens if they get it wrong. What if they trust the wrong person? Rose smiles and says that if they knew they were always right, then it wouldn't be trust, would it? Part of trust is making yourself vulnerable. Connix nods slowly, thinking it over. She thanks Rose. Rose smiles and tells her to go to bed. She'll catch up soon, but she has one more stop to make first. Amateur therapist hours aren't over yet for the night. She gives Connix a kiss goodnight, and goes off to deal with her next troubled soul. Connix watches her go, gives one last look at Jannah--concerned, but not as doubtful as before--and heads off towards the bunks.</p><p>Rose finds Finn pacing back and forth on the branch, near the Millennium Falcon. She asks him what's stressing him out. He gets flustered and says that nothing is stressing him out! He's fine! He's just... meditating. It's a new Jedi technique that Rey is teaching him. Rose just crosses his arms and stares at him. It's Poe, isn't it?</p><p>Finn freezes. What about Poe? There's nothing about Poe. Rose rolls her eyes. It's okay. He doesn't have to hide it from her. Besides, everyone on the base can see it. Finn winces. Even... even Poe can see it? Rose laughs. Oh, definitely. There's nothing subtle about it. Finn just needs to get off his butt and DO something about it.</p><p>Finally Finn sighs and starts to talk about it. He just... has no idea what he's doing. They didn't cover anything like this in Stormtrooper conditioning. The only person he's even kissed was her! And he never did figure out how he felt about that. She rolls her eyes and says she caught on from how awkward he kept acting around her for a whole month afterwards. He apologizes for that. Again. But he says it's fine now, she's got Connix, right?</p><p>She laughs and says that it wasn't like that. If anything, Connix got her. Rose was as surprised as anyone. A girl like Connix noticing a nobody like her? Finn puts a hand on her shoulder and gives her a stern look, reminding her that she's not nobody. Rose says she knows, she knows, but it's easier to say it than to actually believe it.</p><p>Finn adds that Connix is much better for her than he would've been. Rose replies that Finn IS great for her--as a friend. Finn frowns and asks what if Poe feels that way too? What if Poe thinks he's a great friend? Rose counters that Poe definitely thinks Finn is a great friend, but she's pretty sure he thinks a lot of other things too. But unless Finn goes out there and DOES something about it, he's never going to find out, is he? So it's high time he went over there and talked to Poe.</p><p>She hypes him up and tells him he's got this. Finn thanks Rose, who just rolls her eyes and shoves him and tells him to get on with it. He says okay. He repeats it over and over to himself as he walks through the base. He's got this. He gets to Poe's bunk door and says it a few more times. He goes to knock on the door, chickens out, tells himself one more time that he's got this, and raises his hand to knock again--</p><p>--at which point he hears Poe Dameron ask him what, exactly, he's got? He spins around to find Poe standing in the hallway in just his undershirt with a towel draped around his shoulders. Finn immediately starts stammering, looking for something to claim to have got. Finally he settles on saying that he's... got a handle on a new strategy for a way to beat Poe at sabacc when they get back. That, uh, that Lando taught him. It's an old trick.</p><p>Poe laughs and tells Finn he's a terrible liar. Now, was there something he wanted to talk to Poe about...? Poe was on his way to, you know, get some rest. Like Finn keeps telling him he should. Finn says he's proud of Poe for taking a break and giving everyone else one too. Poe starts to slowly lean in a little closer to Finn. Poe asks if Finn is planning on taking a break too, or if he's going to be practicing sabacc tricks all night. After all... Poe's bunk isn't big, but if Finn can't find his own, he's pretty sure there's room for one more. </p><p>Poe's face is inches away. Finn coughs and swallows hard. He mutters that it wouldn't be, um, proper. What with Poe being a hero of the Resistance, and Finn being an ex-Stormtrooper. Poe tells Finn to shut up and kiss him. Finn whispers a quick "yes, sir," and they FINALLY KISS. It's a good long kiss, full of passion and pent-up desire. They both relax into it after a moment, Poe pressing Finn loosely against the closed door.</p><p>They break the kiss, and Finn hits the button to open the door. It slides open to reveal the small bunk inside. Finn says that Poe said something about a bunk...? Poe grins and heads towards it. Finn pushes him lightly on the shoulders and Poe falls back onto the bed. Then Finn takes a step back into the doorway. Poe looks at him, confused, and asks where he's going. Finn smiles at him and says he's going to his own bunk. After all... they've got a big day tomorrow. They both need to actually sleep tonight. They'll have plenty of time to celebrate when the galaxy is safe. With a big grin, he hits the button and the door slides shut before Poe can interrupt. Poe falls back onto the bunk with a laugh, shaking his head and smiling.</p><p>WIPE TO:</p><p>The sun rises over the Imperial Palace on Coruscant. Kylo Ren walks with unusual calm into the Grand Council Chamber, which is fully assembled for a meeting. Hux stands at the head of the table, Queen Velén sitting next to him. An elite squad of Stormtrooper guards stand arrayed around the edges of the room. They shift nervously as Kylo Ren makes his arrival.</p><p>General Hux begins to greet Kylo Ren, but stops abruptly as two of the Knights of Ren--Daxo Ren and Serrax Ren--step out of the turbolift behind Kylo. Kylo asks if something is wrong. Hux assures him everything is fine, but we see him exchange a tiny glance with Velén. He did not anticipate the additional Knights. The balance has shifted.</p><p>Kylo Ren looks at the Grand Council and tells them to prepare for a battle. The Resistance is coming here, and they should welcome them properly. Hux asks where Kylo Ren got this information. Kylo Ren says he just knows. Rey will come here to face him. She cannot stay away. Not with what she knows now.</p><p>Hux says that he will order the fleets to gather here at Coruscant to mount a full defense. Kylo Ren says not to do that. He wants to let Rey come to him. They already have more than enough ships to deal with the rest of the pitiful Resistance. They only have a few ships at their paltry base anyway.</p><p>Hux looks at him in confusion. How does Kylo Ren know what they have at their base? Kylo says he saw it in the girl's mind. He knows right where their base is. What all of Hux's technicians and spies and agents could not accomplish, the power of the Force has provided for him. Hux's rage begins to grow. If Kylo Ren knows where the Resistance base is, why has he not dispatched troops? Why has he not sent an entire fleet there to wipe them out?</p><p>Kylo Ren stares him down and says that it is simple: he does not want to. He would rather let Rey come to him. And she will. Soon.</p><p>Hux is furious. He says that this is a new low. Kylo Ren has admitted to having knowledge of the Resistance's operations and concealing it from the First Order. In front of the assembled Grand Council, Hux accuses Kylo Ren of treason against the First Order. The Stormtrooper guards raise their blasters and point them at Kylo Ren, over the heads of the Council members, who immediately duck.</p><p>Kylo Ren does not hesitate. With a blur of red he ignites his lightsaber and jumps onto the meeting table. The guards open fire and Kylo Ren deflects their blaster bolts back at them. The other Knights of Ren ignite their weapons and attack. In a matter of seconds, it's over. The guards are all dead, as well as two of the Council members, caught by blaster bolts deflected off of Kylo Ren's lightsaber.</p><p>Kylo Ren stands atop the table, looking down at Hux with a mix of pride and disappointment. He says that he cannot be a traitor to the First Order, because he IS THE FIRST ORDER. He is the Supreme Leader, and if any of them doubt that, they are welcome to say so now. He looks around at the Grand Council members, who all look back in silent fear. </p><p>Satisfied with that, Kylo Ren drops into a crouch, bringing his face very close to Hux's. He explains that he keeps Hux alive because that way he does not have to deal with all the petty problems of the galaxy. Hux is a bureaucrat, nothing more. Hux would do well to remember that. Also... it personally amuses him to see Hux suffer.</p><p>Hux sits back in his chair, fuming with rage. Next to him, we see Queen Velén. Kylo Ren is focused on Hux, his back mostly to her. She slides a small blaster pistol out of her sleeve, hidden under the table. As she starts to raise it, Kylo suddenly turns to look at her over his shoulder. He tells her that she's clever, and he likes that. But that she really shouldn't. Slowly, she nods and puts the pistol away again.</p><p>Kylo Ren stands up straight, still atop the table. With a gesture he tips over the two chairs of the dead council members, spilling them on the chamber floor. He announces that he's appointing these two Knights of Ren to the Council as their replacements. They're here to make sure Hux doesn't try anything stupid again. Hux begins to protest that they do not know anything about running a government or ruling a galaxy. Kylo Ren shouts back that Hux knows nothing about the power of the Force. With that, he's done. He walks back to the turbolift and lets the door slide shut behind him.</p><p>A very uncomfortable silence fills the Council Chamber. Hux is silently fuming. Velén looks cold. The dead Stormtroopers still surround the edges of the room, along with the two dead council members. Serrax Ren puts one of the overturned chairs upright and sits himself in it. He leans out over the table and glibly says that he's looking forward to running the galaxy. This should be fun. So what's next on the meeting agenda?</p><p>CUT TO:</p><p>Morning on Kashyyyk. BB-8 rolls out of the command center to spot Rey sitting alone on a high branch. BB-8 warbles a question up at her, and she lets out a small breath. She jumps down and talks to BB-8. She couldn't sleep, so she was trying to meditate. BB-8 bleeps in apology. Rey smiles at it and says it's fine, her meditation wasn't doing much either. And now it's time. She has to get ready to go.</p><p>She heads into the command center, which is a bustle of activity as people wake up and begin to load up on their ships. We see short moments among the chaos of activity. Lando assures his wife and husbands that he'll be fine. He's taking the Falcon, and they'll be on the Idiot's Array. The Falcon has never let him down before, and Nien Nunb is the best copilot around. Connix has a moment of tension with Jannah, but lets out a tired breath and wishes the ex-Stormtrooper a "may the Force be with you." Jannah looks slightly confused, as she's never heard the phrase before, but she appreciates the gesture. </p><p>Rose gives Connix a nod of approval, and gives her another parting kiss. She tells Connix that at least this time they're both going into battle, so they can worry about each other equally. A little more fair than usual. Rose heads for her X-Wing and hops in, giving a greeting to the new astromech unit she's flying with. She says she knows she's not the best pilot in the galaxy, but they'll get through this together. She looks out her window and gives Finn a nod and a thumbs-up. He replies in kind, then turns his attention back to Poe.</p><p>Poe and Finn have a tender parting as Poe gets ready to climb into his shiny X-Wing. Poe says he's as rested as can be and looking forward to... celebrating. Finn says that makes both of them. Poe and BB-8 load up into their X-Wing. BB-8 warbles uncertainly and Poe reassuringly says that they're gonna be fine. Probably. After all, it's just the future of the galaxy on the line. No pressure.</p><p>Chewbacca hugs his family goodbye and lopes up to Rey. She says he doesn't have to come with her if he doesn't want to. He could stay here with his family, or take the Falcon with Lando. Chewbacca responds with a menacing growl and gestures with his bowcaster. Rey nods slowly in understanding. He has a life debt to repay. He's coming with her to face Kylo Ren. She puts a grateful hand on his shoulder. She'll be glad to have him there.</p><p>R2-D2 and C-3PO share a moment. Threepio says that it will be strange to return to Coruscant after so long away. He tells Artoo not to do anything stupid, or dangerous, and to please come back safe. Artoo warbles back and Threepio is clearly quite insulted. As if HE would do something stupid! He's going to be piloting a Blockade Runner! That's not stupid, it's... it's quite brave, really. Artoo bleeps condescendingly, and Threepio just throws his hands up in acceptance and then heads off towards where Connix is calling to him.</p><p>Jannah leads her squad onto the dropship, along with Rey, Finn, Chewbacca, and Artoo. Just as she did before, we also see Stow sneaking aboard the dropship as the hatch closes. The dropship lifts off and makes its way out through the trees, followed by Poe and Rose in their X-Wings, Lando and Nien Nunb in the Millennium Falcon, and Lando's family in the Idiot's Array. A new shape rises into view, emerging from where it was covered by vines and leaves: a CR90 BLOCKADE RUNNER, the same kind that once attempted to carry Leia Organa and the Death Star plans to Alderaan. Threepio is at the helm, and Connix gives him the order to head for orbit. He takes the ship up, noting that he still hates flying, but maybe it's not so bad when he can be the one at the controls.</p><p>The ships pause in orbit above Kashyyyk, and BB-8 patches Poe through to everyone. Poe says this is everyone's last chance to bail if they're having second thoughts. Finn immediately replies that there's no way. They're with him all the way. Connix confirms that the Broadcast Codes have been input, and they're ready to broadcast.</p><p>Poe takes a deep breath, and launches into his speech. It's brief and to the point. He says that this is a direct message from the New Republic Armada to Supreme Leader, uh, KYLE RON and General HUGS of the First Order. The Republic Armada is coming to Coruscant to accept their peaceful surrender and restore freedom to the galaxy. All allies of the Republic are welcome to come and join the festivities, especially if they want to contribute to the fireworks show. Should be starting right around sunset, palace time.</p><p>With that, he switches the comms off of the transmitter channel. He asks Connix if she thinks they heard it. She says she's pretty sure they did. It went out over every public HoloNet channel. Poe nods. No going back now. He tells everyone that they have the coordinates. Hopefully they've given their allies enough warning to come join them. May the Force be with them all.</p><p>And with that, the ships of the Resistance--the New Republic Armada--jump to hyperspace, heading for their final battle.</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. ACT FIVE (i)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sunset on Coruscant. Thirteen Star Destroyers hang in the skies above the Imperial Palace. In the Council Chamber, General Hux paces impatiently. Queen Velen assures him that the fleet is in position, as they have been all day. Hux hisses that he will not be made a fool of again by Dameron and his pitiful Resistance. The whole galaxy is watching, and they will know the strength of the First Order. A message comes in from the fleet--they're picking up incoming ships. Hux smiles sharply. At last.</p><p>The fleet calls again, slightly confused. They've got incoming ships, but... only five. The fleet commander wants to know if they should maintain their defensive grid or send a few TIEs to intercept these... five ships. Hux scowls furiously. This has to be some kind of trick. He tells the fleet to hold position, reminding the commander that the last captain who underestimated an outgunned Dameron lost a dreadnaught. The fleet should prepare to engage at full strength.</p><p>We see the five Resistance ships coming into the upper atmosphere. Poe and Rose lead in their X-Wings, backed by the Falcon, the Idiot's Array, and finally the Resistance Corvette. Connix calls Poe from the bridge of the Corvette, and says that she's seeing a whole lot of Star Destroyers ahead of them. Poe says he sees them too. Connix asks what happened to the First Order not having enough manpower to get those ships in the air? Poe says he's not thrilled about it either, but to remember that their job is to be here as a distraction. Rose chimes in, not sounding optimistic. The Star Destroyers don't look particularly distracted. They're holding their defensive position.</p><p>We see the dropship come out of hyperspace, further out in orbit. Jannah calls Poe and asks if she should go for ground. Poe grits his teeth, deliberating. He gives the honest answer and tells her to hold back for now. The Destroyer defenses will be on full alert and will be too suspicious. But it's not over yet.</p><p>Poe flips on his comm and sets it to an open frequency. He says that as promised, the Republic Armada is here and ready to accept the full surrender of the First Order forces. He waits for a response, but none comes. He asks Connix and Threepio, and they confirm radio silence from the surface. Worse--Threepio says that the Star Destroyers are launching TIE fighters and setting up defensive patrols. Connix says they're calling Poe's bluff. What should they do? Poe's shoulders slump in disappointment, and he prepares to call for a retreat.</p><p>But before he can, Threepio announces that he's picking up new signals, dropping out of hyperspace. Connix worriedly asks if it's more First Order forces. Lando's voice cuts in from the Falcon--it's the friends he promised were coming. Another familiar voice crackles out of Poe's comm: Temmin "Snap" Wexley, reporting in as Black Leader, standing by. The rest of Black Squadron is here with him--Jessika Pava, Karé Kun, Aftab Ackbar, and Suralinda Javos. They're sorry for being late! Poe asks how they got past the blockade. Snap says that's the weird thing. Just a few hours ago, the whole blockade up and vanished. So they came as fast as they could... Hopefully they're not too late for the fireworks show. They'd love to contribute, and so would all their friends.</p><p>We see Snap in his X-Wing, flanked by a dozen other X-Wings. Then a dozen more drop into realspace behind them. Then a dozen more. Suddenly the sky starts to fill with ships of all shapes and sizes arriving. In rapid succession, many familiar voices call in, all standing by and ready for battle.</p><p>Home Three, standing by: the newly-built full-sized Mon Calamari cruiser, fresh from the shipyards. Rogue Squadron, standing by: Wedge Antilles and a group of aging but skilled pilots, flying outdated but still quite functional X-Wings. Inferno Squadron, standing by: Zay Versio leading a cobbled together collection of stolen fighters. The Ghost, standing by: an aged Twi'lek, Hera Syndulla, with her family around her. The Smugglers' Union, standing by: Maz Kanata, backed by an entire fleet of smuggling craft. The Colossus, standing by: Captain Doza, aboard his huge mobile space station, protected by the assorted starfighters of Kazuda Xiono and the Aces.</p><p>Lastly we see a full squadron of yellow and chrome Naboo starfighters, led by the Gungan Captain of the Royal Guard. When they check in, Rose responds in surprise: isn't Naboo part of the First Order now? Isn't Queen Velen on the Grand Council? The Captain replies to Rose directly, and tells her that they're not exactly here with the Queen's permission. The Queen wasn't the only one in the throne room to hear Rose's message, and the people of Naboo have decided they want a say in things too.</p><p>Suddenly Rose is getting message after message. It's overwhelming. Connix's voice cuts through all of it and puts word to what she's realizing: so many of these ships are here because of her. These are the allies she was building. They came after all. The Republic Armada is real, and it's here to fight.</p><p>In the Council Chamber, Hux is looking coldly at a holo-chart of the new arrivals. He wonders where they got all those ships, but it's no matter. They're still hopelessly outgunned. The fleet commander calls him and asks what his orders are. He says this changes nothing. Engage as planned. Launch the TIEs and open fire as soon as the Resistance ships are in range.</p><p>Poe grins. They can do this after all. He orders all ships to form up on him, and follow him in. Their job is to harass and make as big a mess of things as they can, but not to over-engage. If they see an opportunity for a kill, take it, but their primary mission is not to wipe out the fleet. Just keep it busy. As he heads in, he radios Jannah, and tells the ground team to make their move.</p><p>Behind the fleet, the dropship heads towards the ground, making a long arc around both the Resistance armada and the Star Destroyers on defense. As they get close to the ground, Jannah gets hailed by the comms tower, asking who they are. Jannah replies that they're a detachment who got separated on Kuat and were nearly captured, but escaped and are finally making their return. Chewie, Rey, and Finn all stand behind her nervously in the cockpit. For a tense moment, no one is sure what will happen. Then they hear cross-chatter over the radio, as the dispatcher begins calling orders for various TIE squadrons to launch. Finally he returns to them, but he's clearly not paying much attention. He angrily tells them to make their landing as quickly as possible and report in for a new assignment. In case they haven't noticed, there's a bit of a war on.</p><p>Everyone lets out a breath. It worked. The only one who doesn't look fully relieved is Rey. She can tell that Kylo Ren can feel her presence. Finn looks at her nervously and asks if that means they're in trouble. She says no, but she's a little confused by that. It almost feels like... he WANTS her to come. It's an invitation. Finn says that means it's probably a trap. Rey shrugs. Of course it's a trap. That's why she's bringing Chewbacca. Chewie roars affirmatively and hefts his bowcaster. Finn nods in approval.</p><p>Elsewhere in the sky, Poe and his ships encounter the first wave of TIEs. He calls out one more reminder to harass but stay alive, and the battle is joined. It's immediate chaos, as dozens of TIEs swarm into the X-Wing squadrons. But Poe still smiles slightly. This is what he's best at, and he's doing it well. We see Rose, a little more stressed but holding her own. She evades a wing of TIEs, and takes one down with support from one of the Naboo fighters.</p><p>The dropship approaches the Imperial Palace. In the cockpit, R2-D2 warbles directions. Jannah brings the ship down in a rear courtyard, and the ramp opens. Rey and Chewbacca get out, followed by Artoo. Rey pauses halfway down the ramp and taps on a metal compartment. She tells Stow to get out. Stow obliges, falling out of her hiding place in a sheepish pile. Rey says she could sense her, but there was no point in telling her to stay. Finn shakes his head with a laugh: this is his fault for giving her that name. He and Rey give each other a long look. Rey tells Finn that the Force will be with him. He grins, and says he knows it'll be with both of them. When they get back, he's looking forward to her teaching him a whole lot more about what that means. Rey says she will. </p><p>The dropship ramp closes, and the ship takes off again. Artoo leads Rey, Stow, and Chewbacca towards the Temple. Rey pauses for a moment to look around. The courtyard they're in is empty, strewn with dust and debris, abandoned for years. In its center is a massive dead tree, its bark blackened and scorched. Rey touches it mournfully. This is where Jedi were trained for generations. Thousands of years, even. But now it's a den of evil and cruelty. So much history lost.</p><p>Artoo whistles and leads Rey, Chewie, and Stow into a passage tucked away in an alcove. Rey asks how he knows about this hidden way in, and he bleeps a somewhat mournful reply. She wonders which of his old masters lived in the Temple but had reason to come and go in secret. A Jedi with a secret to keep from the rest of the Jedi Order... there's so much she doesn't know about how the Jedi lived. Stow points out they know more about how the Jedi died: killed by the Sith. On that morbid note, they follow Artoo into the interior of the Temple. Rey tells Stow to stay behind her.</p><p>Aboard the dropship, Finn is putting on his borrowed Stormtrooper armor. It fits, but it's even more uncomfortable than he'd remembered! And so limiting for his field of vision. One of the nonhuman Stormtroopers quips about how at least the armor is made for Finn's species! The Empire's excuse for only having human Stormtroopers was a mediocre one, but they sure enforced it in their armor manufacturing.</p><p>Jannah tells the troopers to stow the chatter as she brings the dropship in for a landing. She reminds them that this is a stealth mission. Their job is to pretend everything is normal and get to the barracks and get the cadets out without anyone noticing. No shooting unless absolutely necessary.</p><p>Finn reluctantly puts his helmet on and joins the troopers as they march out of the dropship onto the landing pad. The base is in a state of movement, but not outright chaos. Jannah leads the squad into the base and reports to a quartermaster who orders them to get re-equipped and redeploy as soon as possible. Jannah acknowledges, but as soon as they're out of sight, she leads the squad down a different corridor, heading towards the training facility. She checks in with Finn. The cadets should be at dinner right now, all gathered together in their mess hall. And no one has stopped them yet. So far so good.</p><p>Things in the sky are not going so good. Poe takes down one TIE fighter, then another, but watches as a Black Squadron pilot gets taken down. One of the smuggling ships flies too close to a Star Destroyer and gets blown to bits by a turbolaster blast. Poe calls to the fleet, reminding them not to engage too directly, especially with the Star Destroyers. Connix replies that that's not really an option. The Destroyers have too much range on them. Not only that, the TIEs are coming out to meet her! A flight of TIEs are heading for the Corvette, more than they can handle...</p><p>Rose and Lando swoop up to the rescue, taking down the TIEs before they can hit the Corvette too hard. Rose pauses for a moment, looking down on the entire battle from high above it in her X-Wing. Through the canopy she suddenly sees a pattern amidst the chaos, and calls to Connix and Poe. She points out that every Star Destroyer is firing in unison, even when they don't have a target. Jannah said they didn't have enough people to crew all the ships, right? So what if they're just crewing ONE of the Destroyers, and using it like a droid control hub to pilot the other ships remotely? Threepio uses the Corvette's sensors to scan for signals and confirms Rose's theory.</p><p>Down in the battle, Poe has BB-8 do a closer scan and match that data with Threepio's. It's the same, but still not clear enough. Poe has BB-8 coordinate with all the other astromechs on the other X-Wings, and in a matter of seconds they have more than enough data. The signals are all originating from one of the Destroyers, the one closest to the Imperial Palace--Hux's flagship. There are four amplifier satellites tucked between the Star Destroyers, each of which is transmitting to a trio of the Destroyers in the defensive grid.</p><p>Poe grins and gives new orders to the fleet. They can't take on thirteen Star Destroyers, but they've got a shortcut to making all but one of them useless. The fleet has a new primary target: the amplifier satellites. He'll lead Black and Inferno Squadrons in to target one of them. Rogue Squadron and the Ghost will handle another. Lando, Maz, and the Smugglers' Union will take a third. Rose will lead the Naboo contingent to take the fourth. Everyone confirms their targets and knows where to go. Poe gives one more order: stay alive, people, and hit 'em where it hurts.</p><p>In the Grand Council Chamber, Hux gets a message from the fleet. The Resistance Armada has changed course. From their flight vectors, they appear to be targeting the amplifier satellites. Hux scowls and orders the fleet to dispatch more TIEs to guard the amplifiers. Daxo Ren says that this might get interesting after all. Hux snarls and says that it doesn't make a difference. It will be a futile attack in the end. </p><p>Meanwhile, Finn and Jannah have made it to the Stormtrooper mess hall. Several hundred cadets are in the middle of dinner, talking in hushed tones about the battle going on outside. A few adult Stormtroopers stand guard near the doors, along with one uniformed officer. </p><p>Finn approaches the officer and tells him that they've gotten new orders. The First Order is concerned about Resistance forces attacking the base, so the cadets are to be evacuated and moved offsite. The officer is skeptical and takes out his commlink to confirm. Finn insists that he doesn't need to do that. For a moment the officer starts to repeat that he doesn't need to do it--but he shakes it off. Finn's instinctive Jedi Mind Trick didn't work. He asks Finn's number, and Finn obliges: FN-2187. Then he stuns the officer at point blank range, and adds that he can call him Finn.</p><p>Jannah and the rest of her squad open fire as well, catching the other troopers off guard and stunning them all. Many of the cadets jump to their feet in surprise at the sudden shooting. Finn pulls his helmet off and looks out at the children. He says that he's here to rescue them and get them to safety. They have to come with him. There's silence in the room. The cadets are confused, unsure of how to react. One of them asks if this is some kind of test. </p><p>Jannah leans over and reminds Finn that these kids are right in the middle of their conditioning. They don't know how to deal with new situations like this. Finn sighs. Right now he has to get them out of here. He'll have time to teach them how to be people once they're safe. Time to try a different approach. He stands up straighter and orders the cadets to ATTENTION. In unison, the cadets all snap to their feet and salute. Alright. That worked. Finn says he's their new commanding officer, and they're going to follow him on their first real assignment.</p><p>Jannah asks if any of the cadets are trainee pilots. A table full of them step forward and say that they're in the pilot corps. Jannah is pleased and asks if they've been trained on troop transports yet. A few of them have, and Jannah says that'll be enough. Everyone is to fall in behind her and Finn, and they're going to head for the hangar bay and prepare to deploy.</p><p>In the Temple, Rey and her companions emerge from a hidden passage tucked behind a massive pillar in one of the grand hallways. Stow looks around, wondering which way to go. Artoo lets out the beep equivalent of a shrug--he got them in, but he doesn't know where to go from here. Rey assures him that she can lead the way now. She can feel Kylo Ren. That... invitation... he wants her to see what he's doing. He's... waiting for her? It's like he won't do it without an audience.</p><p>Rey leads them through the cavernous hallway, passing by statues of Darth Vader. Chewbacca growls distastefully at them and Rey agrees--for someone who claims to be all about letting the past die, he sure has a lot of statues of his dead grandfather around.</p><p>They arrive at the entrance to the Archive Chamber. The door slides open and Rey steps inside, followed by Stow, Chewie, and Artoo. Inside, we see KYLO REN sitting on the floor in front of his giant crystal machine, which pulses with a dim red light. He stands up as they enter and spreads his arms in a gesture of welcome. He says he knew Rey would come. She can't stay away from him. She knows she needs to be here, to be part of this. She wants to be part of something great, something meaningful.</p><p>Rey shakes her head in disgust and disappointment. She came here to stop him. In a small and hollow voice, Kylo Ren says that no one can stop him now. It's not a statement of power--it's almost mournful. He says that he wants her to see what he's done. He gestures, and the SITH SQUIRES step out from between the shelves of the Archives. There are dozens of them now, all in matching black uniforms. Many of them have mechanical limbs or other obvious lightsaber wounds.</p><p>Stow spots her friend--GL-1977, the Nautolan who stayed. Stow calls out to her by number, but 1977 doesn't respond, doesn't blink, doesn't say a word. All of the Sith Squires have the same blank expressions. Kylo Ren proudly says that these are his new apprentices. The Sith foolishly limited themselves to two. But he's going to control the galaxy, and these apprentices will be how he does it.</p><p>Rey is horrified. They're just CHILDREN. How dare he? Kylo Ren spits in response that her beloved Jedi took children and did the same thing. The only difference is that he's giving these children REAL power. He gives the Squires a command: show the new guests just how much they've learned. All of the Sith Squires IGNITE MATCHING RED LIGHTSABERS. They all crackle with the same chaotic energy as Kylo Ren's saber. </p><p>Jannah and Finn lead the column of cadets through the halls of the barracks. Just before they reach the hangar bay doors, they're stopped by a Stormtrooper with a sergeant's pauldron. The captain asks where they're taking these cadets. Jannah gives the same story Finn did earlier: they're relocating the cadets for their safety.</p><p>The Sergeant pauses. He recognizes her voice: is that JN-1499? He thought she died on Kuat! He actually breaks protocol for a moment, one sergeant to another, letting a little emotion into his voice. He's glad she's alright. She replies that it was close, but she's glad to be back. The Sergeant realizes something a little odd, though. Why would she be relegated to cadet escort? That doesn't make sense. She's not even assigned to this base. She's supposed to be on Star Destroyer duty.</p><p>Finn steps forward and starts to improvise another excuse, but Jannah cuts him off with a raised hand. She takes a gamble and tells the Sergeant the truth in a hushed voice. She was abandoned and left to die by Phasma. She realized that the First Order isn't what she'd always thought it was. So she made a choice, and now she's getting the cadets out so the First Order doesn't just use them up as cannon fodder like it would have done with her. Like it'll do with him, sooner or later.</p><p>There's a long pause as the Sergeant thinks this over. Behind Jannah and Finn, the cadets at the front of the column are clearly thinking about this too, having overheard. The Sergeant finally replies, slowly and coldly, that he wishes now that she HAD died on Kuat. That would've been better than having to see her become a TRAITOR.</p><p>Finn goes to blast him, but a moment too slow--the Sergeant shoots at Jannah. She dives out of the way but it's nearly point blank range. The Sergeant falls back, taken out by Finn, but Jannah is hurt too. Her shoulder took the hit. But she's still on her feet, and they don't have time to waste. The sound of shooting alerted other Stormtroopers, and now suddenly it's a lot messier. A squad of troopers round the corner and see the fallen Sergeant. They sound the alarm. Finn curses, and orders the cadets to follow him TRIPLE TIME. Jannah calls to her squad to defend the cadets! They have to get to the ships!</p><p>In the sky above, Poe Dameron is closing in on his target amplifier satellite, Black and Inferno Squadrons at his back. The satellite is defended by a swarm of TIEs, but that's nothing they can't handle. He calls orders to his pilots. Snap Wexley and Jess Pava are to head in first and hit the satellite with everything they've got. The others should clear them a path and keep the TIEs off them.</p><p>We follow Snap and Jess as they make their approach. A pair of TIEs drop in on their tail, but Zay Versio takes out one and Karé Kun the other. With a clear shot at the satellite, Snap and Jess both open fire with their proton torpedos--but the torpedos hit a heavy shield and explode harmlessly. Snap and Jess peel away, disappointed.</p><p>BB-8 warbles uncertainly at Poe, and Poe grimaces. Those shields are WAY too strong for torpedos or even concussion missiles to penetrate. Jess quips that it would take something ramming the shield to even damage it. Without a moment's hesitation, Snap says he'll do it if he has to. Karé immediately says there's no way that's happening. Poe backs her up. None of them are pulling a Holdo today.</p><p>...but he's got an idea that just might work. He asks Snap if he can get another TIE to tail him. Intentionally. Karé quips that he's great at attracting enemy attention, so this should be easy. Snap says he can do it, but he's not sure why. Poe tells him to get a tail and then fly right at the satellite at top speed but get ready to break away on his mark. Snap says he thinks he sees what Poe's got in mind.</p><p>It only takes a moment for a TIE to fall in behind Snap, and as soon as he confirms the target lock he accelerates towards the satellite. Poe comes in behind the TIE. Snap asks if he's going to shoot it, but Poe says it's too early. Snap is juking left and right, narrowly dodging the TIE's shots. And that satellite is getting awfully close in front of him. He asks Poe again, but Poe says still--not yet, not yet. A little further... BB-8 bleeps a signal to Poe: now! Poe tells Snap to break off. Snap flips his X-Wing up at a sharp angle, skimming past the top of the satellite just as Poe opens fire. Poe's shots are incredibly precise--he hits the TIE on both struts connecting the wings to the body. The wings fly off, and the central body of the TIE continues straight forward, its momentum carrying it directly into the satellite. The shields flare bright at the impact--and then fail!</p><p>Poe lets out a triumphant yell and signals the squadrons to make another run! Karé leads them in, proton torpedos ready to go. Poe pulls up and away, rising above the battle. He watches as the X-Wings unleash their payloads into the satellite, which explodes in a satisfying blast. He looks up above and sees that sure enough, three of the Star Destroyers have stopped firing. Poe and his squadron let out a triumphant cheer! He calls up to Connix with the good news. She's happy to hear it, but the other squads aren't doing as well--Rogue Squadron handled theirs, but the Naboo fighters haven't gotten through the shields of theirs yet.</p><p>In the base on the surface, Finn leads the cadets out into the hangar bay. Jannah's squadron surrounds them, laying down covering fire. Finn leads them on a desperate run through the hangar bay, which is turning to chaos around them. A few of Jannah's squadron are taken out, but the majority of the cadets make it to the dropships. Jannah's lieutenant starts loading the cadets onto ships.</p><p>The pilots gather around Jannah and Finn and ask where they should go. Finn tells them to get in the air and head for the far side of the planet. The Resistance will come pick them up after the fighting is over. After a moment, one of the pilot cadets asks where they will go after that. When the fighting is over. They're soldiers. Fighting is the only thing they know how to do.</p><p>The question hits Finn like a freighter. He has no idea how to answer. He admits he hadn't really thought that far ahead. Jannah asks him if he's going to take them all in and take care of them himself. Finn shakes his head. There's no way the Resistance has the manpower for that. They're not equipped to be parents. Finn catches himself. Parents. Saying the word aloud gives him an idea. A lot of these kids probably still have family out there somewhere in the galaxy. </p><p>Jannah nods in understanding. The First Order was just abducting kids, not killing their families. If they can get into the database, they can get the information on where the kids were taken from. Finn wonders how they can do that. Neither of them are slicers, and they don't have BB-8 here... but if they've got a code, maybe they don't need a slicer. Jannah knows where the command center is. They just need to get an access code from an officer. Finn says he can be pretty convincing when he has to be. Jannah leaves her lieutenant in charge of the rest of the evacuation, and she and Finn put their helmets back on and head back out into the base with a new mission.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. ACT FIVE (ii)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>In the Archives, Rey, Stow, and Chewie are staring down the Sith Squires. Stow takes a step back behind Rey, who looks unsure of what to do. Rey puts a hand on her lightsaber, but she doesn't want to draw it. She says she doesn't want to fight children. They don't deserve this. Kylo Ren says that's too bad, because the children aren't weak like her. They won't hesitate. And sure enough, they don't. The Sith Squires charge, lightsabers blazing.</p><p>Rey decides that she has to defend herself. She draws her own double-bladed lightsaber and begins to defend herself. She fights carefully, hesitantly, only ever blocking and dodging, never counterattacking. How long can she keep this up? The children are untrained, their attacks clumsy, but there are so many of them, and Rey can't fight back.</p><p>Unable to block lightsabers, Chewbacca climbs atop one of the shelves to avoid the Squires. They circle it below him but can't reach him. He roars in frustration down at them, not knowing what to do either. They flinch away from his roar, but do not flee.</p><p>Stow splits off to one side and runs, heading into the archive stacks. A pair of Sith Squires chase her--GL-1977 and the Nikto who lost an arm in their earlier sparring. Stow tries to hide, but the Squires are on the hunt. Stow pleads with her friend to recognize her. 1977 does not reply. Drawn by her voice, the Nikto finds Stow and attacks, and Stow barely dives out of the way of the lightsaber.</p><p>Stow stumbles back in the dim gap between the archive shelves, cornered. She trips and falls back against a shelf. The Nikto approaches her, lightsaber raised for the kill. But before he can strike, he freezes and twitches as he is SUDDENLY ELECTROCUTED and then collapses. Behind him we see R2-D2, who hit the child with a taser-cable. Stow whispers her thanks to the astromech. </p><p>But the sound of the Nikto falling caught the attention of GL-1977. She comes around the corner and sees Stow, and raises her lightsaber. Stow asks 1977 one more time to PLEASE stop and is met with no response. 1977 charges towards her down the narrow aisle between the shelves, and Stow raises a hand in defense. The fallen Nikto's lightsaber flies into her outstretched hand. Stow ignites it and tearfully defends herself against her friend's attack.</p><p>Chewbacca is still trapped atop a shelf, trying to figure out what to do about the squires. He spots Kylo Ren, pacing back and forth at the far end of the room by the machine, watching all of this. Chewie snarls in anger and raises his bowcaster. He takes careful aim and fires, but Kylo Ren is ready. He raises a hand and freezes the bolt in mid-air. He shakes his head at Chewbacca, and says that the old Wookiee should know when to quit. He reaches out with the Force and PULLS THE BOWCASTER OUT OF CHEWIE'S HANDS. Chewie tries to hold on to it, but Kylo is too strong. The bowcaster flies through the air and COLLIDES WITH ITS OWN FROZEN BOLT. The weapon explodes in mid air, showering sparks down over where Rey continues to dodge away from the Sith Squires below.</p><p>Rey leaps over the heads of the Squires, but there are more of them coming. Always more of them. She narrowly avoids too many blows, and blocks more with her lightsaber. Kylo Ren taunts her, asking why she won't fight back. Is she a coward? Is she too weak to fight children? Or maybe it's that he's trained his apprentices so well! So much better than SHE was trained by the old fool SKYWALKER.</p><p>Rey has an idea. She leaps back, away from the group of Squires, and lands atop one of the giant busts of Darth Vader. She turns her lightsaber off and clips it back to her belt. This will take all of her concentration. She looks down at the Squires and reaches out with both hands outstretched. Using the Force, she PULLS ALL OF THEIR LIGHTSABERS AWAY. A few struggle to hold on, but she outwills them, lifting all of their sabers into the air. </p><p>The blades stay lit as Rey raises them up higher, bringing them up to circle around her. The Sith Squires on the floor freeze in confusion, unsure of what to do without their weapons. They look up and for a moment we see Rey bathed in a red glow, surrounded by a floating halo of dozens of crackling crimson lightsabers.</p><p>Stow and 1977 emerge from between the shelves, still mid-duel. They are the only two children still armed. 1977's trained strikes are sharp and she is aggressively pressing Stow back, but Stow is managing to stay alive with well-placed instinctive blocks. The duelists collide with the crowd of disarmed Sith Squires, who back away from the battle but don't seem to otherwise react. They form a circle and watch as the duel unfolds. </p><p>We pull back and see Rey and Kylo Ren at opposite ends of the room, watching as well. But Rey isn't going to just watch. She uses the Force to throw one of the many lightsabers at Kylo Ren. He scowls and ignites his own lightsaber, cutting through the handle of the lightsaber as it flies at him. Rey launches a second and a third at him, and he blocks them as well, deflecting them as if they're blaster bolts.</p><p>The long-range lightsaber fight going on overhead catches 1977's attention and in her moment of distraction she trips on a piece of rubble. Stow lunges forward and swings hard, not aiming for 1977 but rather her lightsaber. Her attack connects and 1977 is disarmed, the lightsaber flying out of her hand. 1977 falls and lands on her back. Stow stands over her friend, her lightsaber raised to strike. The red glow is reflected in her eyes. </p><p>But she won't do it. Stow drops the lightsaber and sinks to her knees, sobbing. This is not a moment of triumph. She is just overwhelmed. This is too much for her. The Sith Squires hold their circle around her, looking down at her outburst with silent confusion.</p><p>Kylo Ren roars that this is ENOUGH. As Rey flings another lightsaber at him, he raises both hands and blasts the lightsaber out of the air with LIGHTNING. His lightning is as chaotic and uncontrolled as it was before, but this time he embraces that. He lets the lightning pour out of both of his hands, hitting everything and everyone in front of him. All of the Squires are caught in the wave of lightning, as is Chewbacca atop his shelf.</p><p>Rey looks down in horror from the top of the statue. Stow, the other Squires, Chewbacca--all of them are caught in the torrent of lightning that Kylo Ren is unleashing. Chewbacca falls from his shelf, landing in a heap, howling in pain. Rey is the only one free of it, standing above them. But she still has a dozen lightsabers floating around her. She concentrates and moves them all forward at once, putting them between Kylo Ren and the Squires, catching all of the lightning. </p><p>There's a moment of blinding light as the lightning overloads the poorly-made lightsabers. They spark and crackle and fail, dropping to the ground among the fallen Sith Squires. Kylo Ren stops his lightning, satisfied. Rey used all of her stolen lightsabers to save the Squires, and they're all injured and out of commission anyway.</p><p>But Rey still has her own lightsaber. She holds it in her hands and looks down the length of the room to where Kylo Ren stands. She calls the Force to her and LAUNCHES HERSELF, leaping clear over the fallen Sith Squires in the center of the room. In midair she ignites her lightsaber and brings it down. Kylo Ren narrowly dives out of the way of her cut, then draws his own lightsaber again and counterattacks. Their blades come together, and their duel begins. </p><p>In her X-Wing, Rose watches as another Naboo starfighter makes a run at the satellite. It unloads its missiles, which detonate uselessly against the shields. A TIE cuts across its path and lights it up, and the starfighter explodes. The Captain calls Rose and says his crew is ready for another run despite their losses. Rose tells him to hold back. Their weapons aren't strong enough to break through those shields.</p><p>She calls up to Connix and says she can't get through. Connix says Poe managed to trick a TIE fighter into smashing through by shooting off its wings. Rose says she's no Poe Dameron. Not everyone can shoot like that. Connix says that it would take a turbolaser to get through those shields, but only the Mon Calamari cruiser has turbolasers, and it can't get close enough because of the Star Destroyers' turbolasers.</p><p>That gives Rose an idea. They don't have any turbolasers close enough, but the Star Destroyers have plenty! And all the Destroyers are shooting at the same angles, right? So they just have to figure out the right angle to trick the Destroyers into shooting their own satellite!</p><p>The Gungan captain calls to Rose and says he's in. Rose tells him to buy her time to figure out how to do this. A trio of Naboo starfighters fall in around her as escorts, keeping her safe from TIEs. Rose thinks it through: the airborne Destroyers are mirroring the shots of the flagship below them. (She can do this. It's math. She's good at math. Better than she is at piloting, anyway.) She has her astromech do some quick calculations and figures out exactly which turbolasers on the upper Star Destroyers at which angles will be just right to hit the satellite. Then she checks where that turbolaser battery is on the flagship below and charts the exact right angle for her to approach it to be a good target to lure it into shooting at her and prompting the upper ships to do the same.</p><p>She swallows hard and says she's got it. She just needs to get under the flagship and do something really dangerous. She touches her pendant for luck and heads down towards the Destroyer. To her surprise, her Naboo fighter escort stays with her. She tells them they don't have to--they can stay up here and keep the TIEs busy. The Captain tells her that most of the Naboo fighters will do that, but he's not letting her do this alone. She looks out her cockpit window and sees that the Captain is in the Naboo starfighter next to her. He gives her a salute, and she smiles proudly at him. Rose and the three Naboo starfighters swoop down below the flagship, and begin their approach at an odd angle. </p><p>We cut to the bridge of the Destroyer for the first time, where we see the fleet commander who has been communicating with Hux. One of her aides warns her that a quartet of fighters are approaching them--from below. The commander frowns slightly, but she reminds the aide of Hux's orders: don't underestimate the Resistance tricks. Open fire on the fighters with the turbolaser batteries.</p><p>Sure enough, we see a massive turbolaser re-orient to aim at Rose and her escort. It opens fire. Above, we briefly see one of the Star Destroyers overhead as it opens fire as well, shooting at nothing. Another one opens fire, and this one nearly hits the satellite... but the blast just barely misses. Connix calls down to Rose to confirm--it's working! But the turbolaser hasn't hit the satellite yet. Rose grins fiercely and continues her approach, flying straight at the turbolasers. </p><p>She and her escort are dodging as fast as they can, but they're approaching the turbolaser directly. Above, a turbolaser blast hits the satellite! Its shield goes bright, but it doesn't die away. One more shot! They have to keep going, getting closer and closer. One of the Naboo starfighters is blown away, then a second. It's only Rose and the Captain left. Connix tells Rose to break away, but Rose says no, she's almost there! One more hit!</p><p>Rose stares straight ahead, out of her cockpit window, looking down the barrel of the turbolaser. She puts a hand on her pendant and smiles as she hears Connix's voice calling her name. Rose whispers to herself that this is how they win: saving what they love. She's staring down death, but she feels at peace. Connix's voice cuts through her moment again: Connix says she loves her, and doesn't want to lose her. Rose shakes her head, realizing Connix is right, and orders the Captain to pull away. She's doing the same.</p><p>As they veer off, the Captain asks what's wrong, and Rose says they can't do this with just the two of them. The turbolasers are too powerful and will blow them away with a direct hit. But Rose says she knows they don't have to do this alone. She calls up to Connix and says she's fine, she's fine, but she's going back in for another run--and she wants backup. Whatever ships have the strongest shields. Will they come and support her?</p><p>Lando's voice cuts in, saying he thought she'd never ask. A moment later the Millennium Falcon is there alongside Rose's X-Wing. Rose asks how he heard, and Lando laughs. Rose broadcast that message to the whole fleet. And help is coming. She looks around and sees that it's true. Maz Kanata is there too, and Lando's family aboard the Idiot's Array. Maz orders everyone to sync up their approaches and overlay their forward shields. Together they're strong enough for a turbolaser blast, even at point blank.</p><p>Rose smiles and tells everyone to follow her. She flies once again straight at the turbolaser, but this time with a dozen ships of all shapes and sizes flying alongside her.</p><p>The aide once again demands the fleet commander's attention. There's now a dozen ships under them, all flying at one particular turbolaser emplacement for some reason. The commander gives a clear order: target those ships with ALL the turbolasers.</p><p>Sure enough, the turbolasers all orient to aim right at Rose and her allies. Nien Nunb points them out as they're taking aim, and Lando calls to Rose to ask what they should do. She tells everyone to hold course, but be ready to scatter on her mark. Up above, the turbolasers on the mirroring Destroyers are also taking aim--right at the satellite. The turbolasers open fire, and the first salvo hits the overlapping shields of the small ships, which flare bright and go out, overwhelmed. Rose gives the order to split, and the ships dart in all directions as a second salvo of turbolaser fire passes through where they just were.</p><p>And up above, those turbolaser blasts are DESTROYING THE HUB SATELLITE. The three Destroyers it's controlling all go still. An enormous cheer goes up from all of Rose's allies. Connix smiles proudly and informs the fleet: they're clear to move in. The defense fleet isn't a problem any more. Rose switches over and double checks to make sure she's on a tightbeam channel this time before telling Connix: she loves her too. Connix smiles, then tells Threepio to put that smug grin away. He doesn't know what she's talking about.</p><p>General Hux gets another message from the fleet commander. The Resistance Armada has taken out the amplifier satellites. The defense fleet is now useless. They're down to just the flagship. Hux says to keep fighting. The flagship must hold the line for now, but not to waver. The Resistance still has no idea what they're up against.</p><p>Serrax Ren laughs. The Resistance figured out his trick. They're smarter than he thinks they are--or maybe Hux isn't as smart as he thinks he is. Hux snarls at the Knight and says if he's so worried, he's welcome to do something helpful. Or is this vaunted Force of theirs not useful against enemies in X-Wings? Velén raises an eyebrow skeptically at Hux--she knows he's on thin ice and poking dangerously at the Knights.</p><p>The two Knights of Ren look at each other for a moment. Daxo Ren says that actually, he'd be happy to demonstrate just what a Knight of Ren can do against an X-Wing. Since Hux asked so nicely and everything. The Knight steps into the turbolift and gives a little salute of farewell. Hux smiles ever so slightly as the turbolift doors shut. One Knight gone.</p><p>Inside the First Order base, a harried comms officer sits behind a command desk furiously giving orders, toggling between a dozen different channels. He's hearing commands from his earpiece and giving more into the microphone at his console. He's struggling to keep up with relaying communications. Someone taps him on the shoulder. He waves them off, trying to maintain his focus. Then they yank his headset off, and he turns angrily to see--Finn pointing a blaster right at him. He spins and realizes that everyone else in the comms room is slumped unconscious at their terminals, stunned. Finn says hi.</p><p>The comms officer tries to reach for an alarm button, but Jannah advises him not to. Finn says they won't hurt him. They just need to access the databanks through his terminal. If he can log in for them and give them access, they'll let him go. The officer points out that the fate of the other officers seems to imply otherwise. Jannah says that they're just stunned. Finn says he's trying to be polite, but they're going to get database access one way or another. He switches his blaster off of stun to emphasize his point.</p><p>The officer swallows hard and gives a tiny nod. He enters his command password and steps back, giving Jannah and Finn access to the terminal. Jannah confirms that they're in, and Finn says great--then switches his blaster back and stuns the comms officer point blank. Jannah navigates through folders, hunting for the records... fortunately if there's one thing the First Order is good at, it's organization. </p><p>Even so, Jannah is surprised at what she finds: records and statistics of every single Stormtrooper. How many shots they fired, their accuracy ratings, how much they slept, even how often they "engaged in inessential communications." Does that mean... talking? Finn says it makes sense. Hux was obsessed with improving the Stormtrooper program, so of course he'd keep statistics like this. And one of the variables should be the point of origin.</p><p>Sure enough, Jannah finds the relevant file. "Source" details for every Stormtrooper the First Order has ever recruited. Including all the cadets, of course, but... also including Finn. Finn stops, blinking. He genuinely hadn't thought about that. Jannah says it doesn't list what became of them, but it does show two names and coordinates. She hesitantly asks Finn if he wants to know where his family is. Finn smiles and says that he already knows right where his family is. But he'd love to know where his parents are.</p><p>The Archive Chamber is lit by the clash of lightsabers--Rey's two shining green blades against Kylo Ren's chaotic red one. They dance back and forth, much more evenly matched than in their duel on Kuat. This time Rey doesn't have the advantage of the environment, and this time she's being driven by her frustration. Kylo Ren is proud of her, proud of her focus and her anger. As they duel he talks to her, telling her that he's so glad she came. He didn't want to do this without her here.</p><p>Rey shakes her head. Why is he so obsessed with her? Kylo doesn't bother to hide what he's feeling: she's the only one who has ever really understood him. Everyone else tried to control him, to change him instead of letting him be himself. Tried to make him be who THEY thought he should be. But not Rey. She showed him kindness when he was in pain. She saw him for who he was. Rey says he's right. She finally does understand him. He's lonely. Luke, his parents, even Snoke--he drove away everyone who tried to care about him. He wants her here because he needs an audience, he needs validation. That's what the Squires are, too, aren't they? People who he can force to pay attention to him. Because that's what he really wants. He's alone and he wants attention.</p><p>Kylo Ren snarls and pushes his attack as he says that EVERYONE is alone. The only difference is that he's accepted it and found freedom in it. When you're alone there's no one to hold you back, no one to tell you what to do. No one to control you. The whole galaxy is full of people lying to themselves, denying that they're alone. </p><p>Rey says he's wrong. No one is truly alone. The Force connects everyone. They just have to let it in. Kylo Ren says that those connections make people weak. He points to all the fallen Squires, to where Stow is pulling herself slowly upright. He raises his hand and unleashes a bolt of lightning at them. Rey leaps in between and is hit full-on by the blast of lightning, taking it for her apprentice. She falls to the ground, gasping in pain.</p><p>In the sky above Coruscant, Connix is suddenly getting hailed on half a dozen channels. Lando, Maz, Wedge, they all want to know--what's the plan? She calls to Poe. Poe laughs and says he didn't actually think they'd get this far. But at this point they've taken a dozen Star Destroyers out of play. The First Order only has one Destroyer left, and most of the Armada is still intact. It's time to take the fight to the enemy.</p><p>But before Poe can get further than that, Threepio cuts in with an urgent message. He's detecting more starships in high orbit, coming in from hyperspace. Poe frowns and calls to Lando. Are these more friends? Lando says he's not sure--everyone he had been in touch with is already here.</p><p>In high orbit, we see the new arrivals: another Star Destroyer. Then another, and another. Then a FIRST ORDER DREADNAUGHT, like the one that Paige Tico sacrificed herself to destroy. Then TWO MORE DREADNAUGHTS. Half a dozen more Star Destroyers come in behind it, then a dozen more. The entire First Order fleet is suddenly here.</p><p>Poe is shocked and horrified. Where did these ships come from? What is this!? Rose figures it out: the First Order was spread thin, but far from powerless. These must be their forces from elsewhere throughout the galaxy. All called back to deal with them. Snap asks Poe what their orders are. Should they engage? Poe says negative, absolutely not. Their ships would get wiped out. They need to retreat.</p><p>Connix says they can't. The First Order fleet is blocking out the sky. There's nowhere to run to. They're trapped between the fleet and the surface of Coruscant. Fine, Poe says, then they'll go to the surface. If they get close enough to the ground, the fleet won't fire on their own planet. This is the capital of the First Order. Poe begins leading the ships downwards, past the flagship Destroyer, heading for the surface of Coruscant.</p><p>In the Grand Council Chamber, Hux smiles sharply. Everything is under control, as he knew it would be. The Knights were foolish to worry. Velén realizes: he ordered the entire fleet back to Coruscant. Despite the fact that the Supreme Leader told him not to. Hux says that everyone does what they must during times of war. Velen nods in careful agreement. Yes, they do.</p><p>The fleet commander calls Hux and tells him that the Resistance ships are heading towards the surface. They seem to be trying to take cover closer to the rooftops of Coruscant. Hux says that doesn't matter. The fleet is free to open fire. The commander starts to protest, saying that if they fire now, they'll hit many civilian targets on the surface, not to mention their own forces. Hux snarls that he doesn't care. Shoot around the Council Chamber and the Stormtrooper barracks, but as for the rest... the fleet should FIRE ON THE RESISTANCE ARMADA AT ONCE. The fleet commander salutes and relays the orders. The Dreadnaught rotates its autocannons into position and charges them.</p><p>BB-8 bleeps a terrified warning and Poe narrowly dodges an autocannon blast. It blurs past him and hits the top of one of Coruscant's countless skyscrapers. Poe scowls. Of course the First Order wouldn't hesitate to fire on their own people. He orders any ship small enough to fly down between the buildings. It's a thousand stories down to the ground, so they've got space to hide. Connix calls from the Corvette, which won't fit down there. Neither will the Mon Calamari Cruiser. Poe tells them to put all power to shields and thrusters and try to break out from underneath the First Order fleet's shadow, and go for lightspeed as soon as they get the chance. Connix tells Threepio to go for it, and Threepio replies with only mild panic in his voice that he has decided he hates flying after all, even if he's the pilot!</p><p>Poe checks in with his squadron leaders. They're all still with him. He warns that it's going to be narrow flying, but it's this or get toasted by the First Order turbolasers. Lando says he's fit the Falcon through tighter spaces than this. They're all behind him. Poe leads them down past the top level of the skyscrapers and into the towering canyons between the buildings as the orbital bombardment continues around them.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. ACT FIVE (iii)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Rey convulses on the floor of the Jedi Archives as Kylo Ren hits her again with lightning. He looks down at her and says that he doesn't want to keep hurting her, but he'll do it until she understands. He gestures to Stow, who is crawling away in fear, but hasn't been hit by more lightning. Kylo tells Rey that her connections make her vulnerable. Make her weak. If she wants to be strong, she has to accept the truth: she's alone. But Rey looks up at him and smiles fiercely, even though she's twitching in pain. She's not alone.</p><p>Kylo Ren realizes that she's not looking at him--she's looking PAST him. He spins around, but too late--CHEWBACCA TACKLES HIM with a massive WOOKIEE BATTLE ROAR. Chewie knocks Kylo Ren backwards, and the lightsaber is thrown from his hands. Chewie picks Kylo up and slams him THROUGH A STATUE, roaring in rage. Kylo Ren tries to get to his feet but Chewie hits him again, leaving massive claw wounds across his chest. </p><p>Chewie grabs Kylo Ren by the neck and lifts him into the air, pinning him against a shelf and throttling him. Kylo flails with both hands in a feeble attempt to get Chewie to let go, but the Wookiee is far too strong. Kylo tries to choke out a few words but Chewie just roars into his face again, drowning him out. Kylo's eyes fall closed and for a moment it seems that maybe he has fallen unconscious. Then we see he's reaching out with one hand. In a flash of red his lightsaber flies through the air and CUTS OFF CHEWBACCA'S RIGHT ARM.</p><p>Chewbacca falls back, howling in pain. Kylo Ren drops to the ground, then comes up to kneeling and catches his lightsaber. He slowly stands, rubbing at his neck with his free hand. Then he waves a hand and throws Chewbacca across the room with a blast of the Force. Kylo coughs twice, holding on to a bust of Vader to steady himself. But he almost smiles as he surveys the room: the Squires are fallen to his lightning, with Rey lying injured among them. Chewbacca is down. Only Stow appears to be moving, making her way slowly to Rey's side. She's no threat. Kylo Ren has beaten his enemies. He's won. He hears the rumbling sound of explosions in the distance and tells Rey to listen to that: the sound of the destruction of her friends. The end of the old ways, once and for all. It's time for something new.</p><p>He reaches out a hand and lifts Rey up into the air, levitating her over to perch against one of the massive shelves. Tubes and wires from the machine detach and float over to wrap around her, pinning her in place. He pulls her lightsaber to him, and clips it to his belt. He wants her to witness his moment of triumph. She tells him to stop, but he shakes his head. He told her before: no one can stop him now. Not even himself.</p><p>Kylo Ren walks to the great machine and calls for Valo Ren. The small Knight crawls out from behind the crystal, where he had been hiding. He hisses that the machine isn't fully ready yet. It can't transmit specifics yet. He can't alter memories with it. It can only send out... emotions. Feelings. Kylo Ren says that that's just fine. This will be a test. Emotion is all he really needs right now.</p><p>He turns to the Sith Squires and commands them to their feet. Even in pain, barely conscious, they struggle upright. Stow turns in confusion, watching them move around her. She tells 1977 to stop, but her friend doesn't react. Kylo Ren's next order is for the Squires to focus all of their energy, all of their rage and passion and hatred, and channel it into the crystal. To give until they have nothing left to give. As one, the Squires raise their hands towards the machine, and the crystal begins to glow with a hideous red light.</p><p>In the comms center, Jannah ejects a data card. She smiles proudly and says she's got all of it. The last available coordinates of every Stormtrooper and every cadet's family. Even Finn's. And even her own. She turns proudly to Finn, the hint of a tear in her eye, but he's not paying attention. He's frowning and holding up the fallen earpiece of the stunned comms officer, listening to it intently. Jannah asks him what's going on. He says that the whole First Order fleet just jumped in, and they've got the Resistance Armada trapped. The ships are trying to take cover on the surface, but... the First Order is firing on the city anyway. </p><p>Jannah says with shock that firing on the city will kill thousands of civilians. Finn says that's what the First Order does. That's why he left. They ordered him to kill civilians and he wouldn't do it. Jannah shakes her head sadly but she tells Finn there's nothing they can do about it. They got what they came for. They should get out of here. Finn thinks furiously. What if there WAS something they could do? They're in the comms center, right? Could they send a broadcast to the whole First Order fleet? Jannah says they COULD, but why would they? They don't have any way of masking their location. If they send out a broadcast like that, they'll be swarmed with Stormtroopers in a minute or less.</p><p>Finn says that if he's right, a minute will be all he needs. He didn't want to fire on civilians. Neither do the crews of those ships. He left. She left. Maybe some of the crews of those ships will too. Maybe it won't work, but he has to try. Jannah takes a deep breath and rolls her injured shoulder. She says it's worth a shot. She'll watch the door and buy him as much time as she can.</p><p>Finn thanks her and takes her seat at the console. He puts on the headset and takes a slow breath. Jannah raises a blaster rifle and stands behind him, ready. Finn punches a few commands on the console, looking for the full broadcast override. He finds it and taps at the microphone, testing to see if it's on. He hears his own voice come out of the speakers overhead. We also see the bridge of one of the Star Destroyers as Finn's voice comes out of nowhere. Okay. It's working.</p><p>Finn says that he's, uh, he's not great at this speech thing. He's no Poe Dameron. But that he has an important announcement and that every member of the First Order needs to listen. We cut to people listening in confusion in various places as he talks--the bridge of the First Order flagship, the hangar bay where the cadets are lifting off, and the Grand Council Chamber, where Hux is furiously ordering someone to FIND WHERE THAT BROADCAST IS COMING FROM and SHUT IT DOWN.</p><p>Finn says that he used to be a Stormtrooper, conditioned from birth to trust the First Order and not ask questions. On his first mission, his commanding officer gave him an order to shoot innocent people. He didn't want to. And in that moment, he realized he had a choice. He chose not to fire his blaster, and from then on everything was different. He fled the First Order and joined the Resistance.</p><p>In the doorway to the comms room, Jannah sees Stormtroopers emerge around the far corner of the hallway. She opens fire, holding them back for now, and calls to Finn that they're in trouble.</p><p>Finn keeps talking, but a little faster now. He says that the First Order claims to offer freedom, but all they do is take choices away. Now they're giving the command to fire on civilians again. Innocent people who deserve to live. He wants every Stormtrooper, every TIE pilot, every gunner to know: they have a choice. They don't have to follow orders. It's never too late to start doing the right thing. </p><p>As he says this, we see a glimpse of crew members on the Star Destroyer in orbit exchanging glances nervously as they listen to his message. The fleet commander yells for someone to turn the speakers off. No one moves to follow her instructions. A similar scene plays out aboard the First Order Dreadnaught's bridge, and the autocannons stop firing.</p><p>Jannah is getting overrun, unable to hold off an entire squadron of Stormtroopers on her own. She falls back into the comms room and closes the door, then shoots the control panel next to it for good measure. She steps back to where Finn is sitting and whispers that the door won't hold for long. If he has anything else to add, now's the time to say it!</p><p>Finn thinks about that for a second before adding one more thing. He says that any member of the First Order who stops fighting and surrenders RIGHT NOW will be granted clemency and the mercy of the law by the, uh, the New Republic. The New New Republic. The war is ending and now is the time. He hopes they make the right choice.</p><p>With that, he takes off the headset and leans back from the microphone. Jannah asks if he really has the authority to grant clemency to the entire First Order. Finn grins and says he just did it, so clearly he does. He'll leave it to the new government to figure out how to make it work. And hey, in case she hasn't heard... he's kind of a big deal with the Resistance.</p><p>His moment of pride is cut short by a sudden sizzle at the door. Finn and Jannah turn to see an orange glow at one corner of the door, which quickly turns into a line. Someone is cutting through from the far side. Finn picks up a blaster too, and he and Jannah take cover behind the console. After a moment, the door flies open. Standing in the open doorway are Mortus Ren and Archus Ren. Mortus is massive and heavily armored, wielding an enormous glowing orange light-axe. Archus is small and thin, with a lightsaber visibly hanging from his belt. Finn sees them and ducks behind the console again. Jannah asks what he saw. Finn says nothing good.</p><p>But in the air, good things are happening. Poe gets a call from Rose--the bombardment has stopped! What's up with that? Poe doesn't know, but he's not complaining.</p><p>Aboard the First Order Dreadnaught, the captain yells at the gunnery officer to resume fire. After a long and painful pause, the officer refuses. He says he won't fire on a civilian target. The captain says that the First Order does not tolerate insubordination and shoots the gunnery officer. He turns to the next officer and tells him that he's first gunnery officer now. Unless he'd like to join the insubordination? The captain's aide cuts in and says that actually it's not insubordination. It's a mutiny. The aide SHOOTS THE CAPTAIN, who dies with a shocked expression on his face. The aide orders the new gunner to take aim at the other Dreadnaught, unless they're willing to stand down!</p><p>Connix watches in awe as one Dreadnaught fires on the other. The chaos spreads through the fleet, with TIEs and Star Destroyers firing on each other. One of the Star Destroyer bridges breaks out into an open blaster fight. Connix tells Poe the news: the First Order is turning on itself! Threepio explains that he intercepted a broadcast to the entire First Order fleet from Finn, asking that the entire fleet lay down arms rather than fire on civilian targets. Poe grins. That's Finn alright. Threepio adds that Finn promised clemency to any First Order soldier who surrendered. Connix says he DEFINITELY doesn't have the authority to grant that. Poe laughs and says yeah, that's Finn too.</p><p>And more importantly: it's working. The First Order fleet is in chaos, and that broadcast means Finn made it to the base down below. Poe and the rest have done what they came here to do. Time for the Republic Armada to make their exit. All ships are to leave the city level and head for orbit as quickly as possible. Connnix confirms, and the Corvette begins heading skyward, with the Millennium Falcon and Rogue Squadron covering it. Lando says he'll make sure Connix and Threepio get to safety. Threepio mutters that he knows better than to trust a promise from Lando Calrissian.</p><p>Rose's astromech unit informs her of something strange. She looks at the console and reads it over quickly, and calls Poe and Connix about it. She's just gotten a message with the coordinates of the First Order Grand Council. Apparently they're right here on Coruscant and practically defenseless. Poe is thrilled. If they can capture the Grand Council, that'll be the end of the First Order right there. Connix points out that it might be a trap. Rose says that if it's a trap, why message just her privately? That's one hell of a specific trap.</p><p>Poe tells her to go for it. He'll have her back, and he's bringing Black Squadron. Rose forwards him the coordinates, and after a moment Snap Wexley reports that Black Squadron is on its way. The X-Wings swing in from the side streets. They swoop through the chasms between the buildings, heading for the coordinates. Rose says it's not much further ahead. Poe realizes where they're heading: the old Imperial Palace.</p><p>Rose gets a sudden warning from her astromech: a targeting lock. BB-8 warbles a similar warning to Poe, who sees them! They've got incoming! We see Daxo Ren, flying a Sith Interceptor, twin to Kylo Ren's, backed by a quartet of deadly TIE Silencers. The Interceptor launches a pair of missiles. Rose tries to evade them, but the lock is tight and she doesn't have any room to maneuver between the buildings! Snap Wexley calls out a quick apology to Poe for disobeying orders--and flies his X-Wing right behind Rose's, directly into the path of the incoming missiles. Snap's X-Wing vanishes in a bright fireball, and Poe cries out in fury at the death of his old friend.</p><p>Poe scowls and tells Rose to break for the surface. Get above the buildings and go for the Grand Council. He and Black Squadron will deal with this. Rose acknowledges and pulls back on the stick. She emerges from between the buildings, just a klick away from the Palace, dead ahead of her. In the chasm below, Poe grits his teeth and tells Black Squadron to form up on him. Karé Kun replies that she's not going anywhere until she kills the bastard who murdered her husband. There are bitter tears on her face. Poe says he knows. They're going to pay that back, but first they have to lead these TIEs away so that Rose can get where she's going. He steers Black Squadron further down into the lower levels, and the Sith Interceptor follows.</p><p>Mortus Ren and Archus Ren slowly advance into the comms center. Archus Ren sniffs at the air. He says he smells TRAITORS. He yells for them to come out so they can die. Finn calls back that he'd really rather not. The Knights of Ren pace through the room, hunting. Jannah picks up her blaster rifle and gets ready to open fire. Finn silently motions for her to wait, but she shakes her head. Finn reluctantly clutches his own blaster, wondering how they're going to deal with two Knights of Ren.</p><p>Jannah doesn't wait any longer. She spins up from behind the console and opens fire at the huge form of Mortus Ren. Her shots ping harmlessly off of his armor. He laughs and reaches out a hand, hoisting her into the air with the force. He pulls her to him and as she arrives KICKS HER IN MID-AIR, throwing her back into a wall. She slumps to the floor in a pile.</p><p>Finn rushes to where she fell and checks on her. She's stunned but alive. He stands up and turns to face the two Knights of Ren, his blaster hanging at his side. He starts pacing slowly, saying that he'll come quietly if they let him surrender. Mortus laughs. They know who he is. Traitors like him don't get to surrender. They're going to enjoy killing him. Mortus swings his axe in a slow circle. Archus stands back and watches, his sabers deactivated. He's bored already and tells Mortus to stop playing around and kill them already.</p><p>Out of the corner of his eye, Finn notices Jannah slowly pulling herself back to her feet and taking aim at Archus. Archus doesn't seem to have noticed, but Finn wants to be sure to keep him distracted. He looks to Mortus and says that he won't go down easily, continuing to circle, drawing their attention away from Jannah. He waits until Jannah's mostly upright, then raises his rifle and opens fire on Archus. Jannah fires as well, catching Archus from both angles.</p><p>But in a flash of orange, Archus ignites not one but TWO LIGHTSABERS and deflects the shots. Finn dives behind a console to dodge the shots deflected back at him. Jannah shoots again and Archus deflects her shots--first one into her gun, knocking it out of her hand, and a second into her leg, dropping her to the ground again.</p><p>Mortus laughs. Did they really think that would work? They're Knights of Ren. Blasters are useless against them. But they're welcome to keep trying. Archus could use the target practice. Behind his console, Finn is breathing hard, eyes wide. What is he going to do? He gets a moment of warning again, a tingle on the back of his neck, and dives to the side just a moment before Mortus brings his axe down, CUTTING THROUGH THE ENTIRE CONSOLE. Finn scrambles backwards as the huge Knight approaches.</p><p>Finn rubs the back of his neck, a desperate idea building in his head. Still on his back on the ground, he raises his rifle and aims it at Mortus. Mortus shakes his head. Didn't Finn notice? A blaster like that won't penetrate his armor. Finn breathes slowly and lets his eyes flutter closed. He's trusting the Force. He fires at Mortus once, twice, three times--all three shots hit Mortus in the side and bounce off his armor past him.</p><p>Finn opens his eyes and Mortus looks at him curiously. That did nothing. What was the point? Finn smiles--he wasn't aiming for Mortus. He looks past Mortus to his real target: the lightly-armored Archus, hit by all three ricochets. Mortus and Archus both look down at the three smoking holes in the smaller Knight, and then Archus falls dead. Mortus huffs and roars in rage. He rushes at Finn and with a swing of his axe CUTS THE BLASTER IN HALF as Finn barely dodges out of the way of another swing.</p><p>Mortus advances on him as Finn looks down at his empty hands. He spots Jannah's rifle, but it's on the far side of the room. Then he sees Archus Ren, and gets another idea. He stretches out with both hands, concentrating hard. One of Archus' lightsabers wobbles. Mortus sees it happening and shakes his head. No, no, NO. He charges at Finn, axe raised--but a moment too slow, as the two lightsabers ZIP THROUGH THE AIR TO LAND IN FINN'S HANDS. They ignite in a blaze of orange and Finn crosses them in front of him just in time to catch the axe blade as Mortus brings it down. Mortus scowls that Finn is JEDI SCUM. Finn grins fiercely, face lit by the orange glow of the lightsabers. Oh yes he is.</p><p>Inside the Grand Council Chamber, Hux is fuming with rage. The fleet commander reports that the whole fleet is in disarray. The flagship remains loyal but one of the Dreadnaughts has turned and is firing on the rest of the fleet. At least a third of the fleet has likewise turned traitor. Before she can say more, she's interrupted by her aide calling a warning and the message vanishes in a burst of static.</p><p>Hux shouts that this CANNOT be happening. His conditioning is PERFECT, his Stormtroopers should be UNABLE to betray the First Order! Serrax Ren says that clearly that's not the case. Hux turns to face him and howls that this is the fault of KYLO REN and the KNIGHTS OF REN. If Kylo hadn't taken his best cadets, hadn't spread the army so thin, hadn't forced him to accelerate conditioning, none of this would have happened. Kylo Ren is a TRAITOR and will PAY for what he has done to the First Order, what he has done to HIS ARMY!</p><p>Serrax Ren stands up from the table and ignites an orange light-halberd, leveling it at Hux. Hux is in a full rage and doesn't care. Velén watches with a frown of disappointment. Hux steps closer to Serrax and dares him to strike, to prove that he's just as unreliable and chaotic and destructive as his fool of a master. Serrax inches the halberd closer to Hux's throat--</p><p>And the whole chamber freezes as blinding lights stream in the window. They look to see an X-Wing fighter hovering just outside the tower, its nose almost touching the windows. Rose Tico grins fiercely inside the cockpit and tells her astromech to turn the cannons to the lowest setting. Then she opens fire, shattering all the windows of the Council Chamber. The wind howls in, and the council looks up in shock. Hux is mystified. The only calm one is Queen Velén.</p><p>Rose tells her astromech to keep the ship steady, then opens the cockpit. She climbs out onto the nose of the X-Wing, balancing carefully. It's a long, long way down onto the roof of the Temple below. She takes a breath and then WALKS DOWN THE X-WING, stepping off its tip through one of the shattered windows into the Council Chamber. She draws a blaster pistol and points it at General Hux and the assembled First Order Grand Council. She proudly says that in the name of the New Republic, in the name of the Resistance--and in the name of her sister, Paige Tico--Armitage Hux and the rest of the Grand Council are all hereby under arrest for crimes against the galaxy.</p><p>General Hux roars that HE WILL NOT SURRENDER. The First Order will reign eternally, and nothing will stop them. Rose says that's fine--she was hoping for an excuse to shoot him. She points the blaster at him, but before she can fire Serrax Ren LEAPS OVER THE TABLE AT HER. She barely dodges out of the way of the cut and shoots at him, but he spins his halberd, deflecting the bolts into the ceiling. He slashes at the pistol and cuts it in half, searing her hand as he does. She clutches it to her chest in pain.</p><p>Serrax levels the halberd at Rose's face and slowly walks towards her. She takes a step back, then another, but she can't take a third. She's at the open window. Her heel hangs over the edge. She looks to her X-Wing, but it's too far away. She closes her eyes and offers a silent prayer to the Force. Serrax raises the halberd--and the sound of a blaster bolt rings out. Serrax stumbles sideways, clutching at the back of his head. He turns slowly to see QUEEN VELÉN pointing her small pistol at him. She fires again, hitting him in the chest, and he staggers back. A third shot knocks him off his feet, and he FALLS BACKWARDS OUT OF THE COUNCIL CHAMBER.</p><p>Rose watches him fall, then turns to Velén with a confused expression. The other Council Members look equally shocked. Rose asks Velén... why? Velén smiles coldly and says that she knows when a fight is over, and she does not want her people to suffer any more than they already have. And she did hear an offer of clemency. So on behalf of the First Order Grand Council... she surrenders. She drops the blaster pistol, and holds up her hands in defeat. Rose picks up the pistol and looks to the other members of the council. Velén asks if there are any objections. Slowly the council members all raise their hands in surrender. Rose looks around and says that she accepts and will take them all into custody. But where's Hux? Velén looks to the turbolift. He must have escaped during the fight.</p><p>In the Archive Chamber, the crystal is pulsing with brilliant red light, so bright as to be almost blinding. Kylo Ren shouts for more power, MORE POWER! The Sith Squires are wavering, holding their hands up weakly. One collapses, then another. GL-1977 falls and is caught by Stow, who holds her friend tightly to her.</p><p>Valo Ren watches nervously and hisses a warning to Kylo Ren. He says that the Squires cannot take more of this. If Kylo pushes them any further, they'll die. Kylo Ren asks Valo if the machine is ready yet. Valo says almost, almost, but it still needs a little more power. And the Squires are spent.</p><p>Kylo turns and looks at the fallen children. His eyes settle on Stow, who looks back at him with fear. He raises his hand and COMMANDS HER to give her power to the crystal, to him. Stow slowly comes to her feet and starts to raise her hand... but she catches sight of 1977, slumped at her feet. She looks at Kylo Ren and in a quavering voice tells him: no. Kylo Ren is shocked and repeats his command, louder and angrier than the first time. And again she looks back, eyes now full of defiance, and says NO.</p><p>Kylo's face grows cold, and his hand comes up again, but this time in a different shape. Fine, he says, if she won't GIVE him her power, he'll just TAKE IT. He starts to pull her slowly towards him. She struggles to resist, trying to stay away, but she inches across the floor towards the great crystal. Kylo Ren raises up his red lightsaber, holding it high.</p><p>For a moment he freezes like that, looking down at Stow. A flicker of recognition passes over his face. Now he is the adult, holding up a lightsaber, about to murder a scared child. One last moment of doubt catches him, hitching his breath in his throat.</p><p>In his moment of hesitation, something leaps between him and Stow, scooping her up in one huge furry arm. CHEWBACCA lets out a growl of fiercely protective rage, holding the girl to him with his one remaining arm. He pulls her back, away from Kylo Ren. His momentary doubt replaced by anger, Kylo reaches out with his hand again, but even the Force is no match for pure Wookiee strength. Stow clings to Chewbacca, wrapping herself around him as he pulls her away to safety.</p><p>Kylo Ren scowls in frustration and turns away from them. They're... not worth the trouble. Valo Ren asks where the power will come from. Kylo Ren says he has a perfectly fine source right here. And for the second time, he stabs one of his own Knights. Valo Ren coughs and chokes in surprise as Kylo Ren drains him into the machine. With that... it's finally ready.</p><p>Rey, still injured and pinned to a shelf not far away, calls out that what Kylo's planning--it won't work. He can't erase everyone's memories of Luke Skywalker. Even if he tries, hope will just come back anew. Maybe it will take new forms, but there will always be stories of heroes to inspire people to resist him. And those people will find each other and join together to beat him sooner or later.</p><p>Kylo says he's not going to change anyone's memories yet. Right now he doesn't even need to. He just needs to turn everyone against each other. Break their little bonds. She'll feel it soon enough. He's going to let everyone feel what he feels. He's going to let everyone in the galaxy feel his anger. Starting with her beloved friends. They won't fight him because they'll be too busy fighting each other. They'll all know the pain of betrayal. They'll all know what it feels like to suffer as he has. And she'll watch as it happens.</p><p>Rey struggles against her bonds but in vain. Kylo Ren walks up to the great machine and holds his hands up to the enormous crystal, eyes closed. It's ready. He feels the power in it. The rage. He breathes deeply, and when his eyes open again they're blood red. Kylo Ren raises his hands into the air and UNLEASHES THE POWER OF THE CRYSTAL.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. ACT FIVE (iv)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kylo Ren screams in pain and rage at the sheer agony of the power flowing through him, his body reduced to a conduit for the energy. It flows out from his fingertips and from the crystal itself as vast tendrils of crimson lightning. They don't spark or crackle, but move slowly and smoothly, arcing and twisting through the air, seeking out every person in the room.</p><p>We see the bolts of red strike Chewbacca. He howls in fury and suddenly THROWS STOW TO THE GROUND. Stow looks up at the Wookiee in terror. Chewbacca stalks towards her, all thoughts gone except anger. A red bolt of rage-lightning catches Stow as well, and she calls a lightsaber to her hand and ignites it. She faces off with Chewbacca, holding up the blade, her face a portrait of fury.</p><p>The red lightning comes up through the floor of the Grand Council Chamber, arcing across the members of the Council and Rose Tico, still holding them at blasterpoint. They flinch as the bolts reach them, but do not immediately react beyond that--they cannot see the energy that's affecting them. One of the councillors looks around at the others and then at Rose, anger flickering red in his eyes. He points out that she's just one girl with a blaster--what can she really do? They outnumber her a dozen to one! If they rush her, she can't shoot all of them! Besides, she's a rebel. They're all soft. She won't shoot them. Rose scowls angrily and shoots the table in front of him, daring him to give her an excuse to aim a little higher next time.</p><p>We pull back from the Temple and see the bolts of red anger reaching out across the rest of Coruscant. The tendrils flicker like ghostly lightning as they expand to cover the city and reach up into the sky above. We see Poe Dameron and his fellow X-Wing pilots getting hit by these bolts. Their ships are undamaged, but we can see Poe in his cockpit letting out a furious howl. He guns his engines forward faster, faster, chasing down the Sith Interceptors. He opens fire on one of them, not caring that one of his fellow X-Wing pilots is on the far side of it. One of his shots hits Jess Pava's X-Wing, and we see her let out a frustrated yell. A red bolt hits her, and she opens fire on Poe in turn.</p><p>In the Corvette high above the battle, Connix is scowling at the map of the atmosphere. C-3PO tells her that they're getting transmissions from First Order officers who are offering to stand down and surrender in return for amnesty. Threepio wants to know what to do. Connix's eyes are red as she hisses to target those ships. They can't be trusted anyway. She shouldn't have let Rose lead her astray. She knows better. She orders Threepio to tell anyone who will listen: blow the First Order scum out of the sky. No mercy.</p><p>In the comms center, Finn is locked in blade to blade combat with Mortus Ren. Finn is striking at him hard, swinging both lightsabers viciously. His attacks are untrained and clumsy, but backed with intense power. Mortus is taking one step after another backwards, blocking with his axe, but he's running out of room. He jumps back, out of Finn's range, then comes back in with an overhand swing. Finn catches the axe on his crossed lightsabers, but that's what Mortus wanted. Mortus lifts one huge leg and kicks Finn square in the chest, sending him flying. Mortus laughs as Finn coughs and gets to his feet. </p><p>Finn lets out an angry growl, but Mortus holds up a hand to stop him. Mortus says he's impressed. No one's given him a fight this good in too long. Mortus says that he can tell Finn is angry, and that's giving him strength. Good. But he's pointing his anger the wrong way. The Knights of Ren didn't make the First Order. The Knights of Ren didn't take him from his family. He should be angry at the First Order and all their soldiers. And there's one right there. He points a gauntleted finger at Jannah, who is just pulling herself upright again. Finn looks at her. His eyes are red with anger. His hands flex around the grip of his lightsabers, and Jannah scowls back at him. She should have known not to trust him. He betrayed the First Order, why wouldn't he betray her too, given the chance? Finn takes an angry step towards her as Mortus goads him on.</p><p>In the Jedi Archive chamber, Kylo Ren is in his moment of triumph. We see the fallen forms of the Sith Squires and Valo Ren. Chewbacca and Stow circle each other in a rage-driven duel. Rey struggles against the cables holding her down, but is unable to do anything but watch. Kylo himself is at the center of it all, held in place by the sheer power flowing through him from the crystal and out of his fingertips. The pain on his face mixes with cruel pride. He's done it.</p><p>His victory is interrupted by an unexpected but very familiar voice. "Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering." The blue form of Yoda appears before Kylo Ren, quoting old wisdom at him. But this vision is not a ghost--it's a holovid projection. The torrent of lightning pouring into the sky flickers and fades, interrupted as Kylo Ren brings his hands down and unleashes a bolt of directed pure red rage-lightning, destroying the holoprojector in the floor. He scowls that he will not fall for tricks and illusions again. Behind him, we can see Stow and Chewbacca snap out of their fury, no longer under the thrall of the red lightning.</p><p>A moment later another image appears in another part of the room, this one of a young Obi-Wan Kenobi. Then one of Qui-Gon Jinn. One by one, images of Jedi Masters from an earlier era appear to share their wisdom. Kylo Ren lashes out at each of them in turn, each time getting angrier and angrier. Is this Skywalker playing tricks on him again? It can't be, he knows Skywalker is dead this time.</p><p>Finally we see the source of these projections: tucked behind one of the vast busts of Darth Vader is R2-D2, the only one in the room who was unaffected by the force-rage. He is plugged into a data port, activating the projectors one by one. </p><p>Stow and Chewbacca run to where Rey is pinned. Stow uses the red lightsaber she found to cut Rey free, and Rey slumps down, collapsing into the arms of Stow and Chewbacca. They prop her up, but she's exhausted and injured after taking so much of Kylo Ren's force lightning. Rey thanks them and then tells Chewbacca to take Stow and run, to get out of there, but both of them refuse. They're not leaving without her. Rey insists they leave. Kylo Ren is too powerful. If they stay, they'll die. Rey will try to buy them time, but she's not strong enough to beat him. She tried, but she failed.</p><p>Another familiar voice quietly disagrees with her. The force ghost of Luke Skywalker appears one more time to her and says she hasn't failed--she just hasn't succeeded yet. Rey asks how she can possibly beat him. She just isn't enough. Luke and Leia failed, why would she succeed? Luke shakes his head apologetically. He tried to train her to be the same kind of Jedi that he was, but that already failed Ben once. She shouldn't try to be him. It's time for her to be herself, and hold nothing back. It's true, Luke and Leia couldn't save Ben, but maybe Rey can defeat Kylo Ren.</p><p>But Rey isn't convinced. She's the only Jedi left, and she can't do this alone. Luke smiles down at her and reminds her gently that she's never alone. She looks up at him and suddenly sees him surrounded by a dozen other force ghosts she doesn't recognize--real ones, this time, not Artoo's projections. Yoda is there, along with Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, Mace Windu, and even General Leia Organa, who smiles fiercely.</p><p>Stow takes Rey's hand and helps her to her feet. Rey closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. She hears Stow's encouraging words, and Chewbacca's supportive growl. With her eyes closed, she begins to hear even more. Words echoing from elsewhere--the voices of her friends, all fighting their own battles. Rose, Poe, Connix, Finn, all of their voices together, all the times they've supported her. </p><p>Rey's eyes open slowly, full of new determination. She nods gratefully to Luke. Stow offers her the lightsaber, but Rey shakes her head. She walks out to confront Kylo Ren armed only with the Force.</p><p>At the far end of the room, Kylo Ren has found where R2-D2 is hiding, and advances furiously on the little astromech droid. Artoo pops up one projection after another, and Kylo Ren blasts each projector in turn. Finally Artoo unplugs from the socket and faces down Kylo Ren, defiantly deploying his electro-prod. Kylo Ren reaches out with one hand and clenches his fist. Artoo lets out an electronic squeal of pain as his outer casing begins to crumple, crushed by sheer Force pressure. Sparks fly from his joints as the damage intensifies.</p><p>Kylo Ren is interrupted by the sound of Rey calling out for him to stop. He relents and slowly turns to face her. Artoo bleats quietly in relief, damaged but not destroyed. Kylo Ren scowls, but is impressed that Rey is on her feet again. Not that it matters. He gestures to his belt, where her lightsaber hangs next to his, and reminds her that she has nothing left to fight with. She knows it's over. He's won.</p><p>Rey says she doesn't care. She's going to stop him anyway. Because it's the right thing to do. Because she can't stand to let her friends get hurt. Because her friends are fighting too, working to make the galaxy a better place. He claims to want to be free, but he's obsessed with taking away everyone else's freedom. She's going to stop him, and she won't do it alone. The Force is with her.</p><p>Kylo Ren says that she's a fool. He's disappointed. He had hoped for more from her. He had hoped that she would see by now. But if she won't understand on her own, he'll just have to keep showing her. He'll just have to share his anger with her. He holds out both hands and unleashes a torrent of red rage-lightning at her.</p><p>Rey makes no attempt to dodge or deflect. She just braces herself and lets the full force of the lightning hit her, point blank. She breathes through it. She starts walking forward, straight into the lightning. She grimaces, clearly in pain, but doesn't stop. Finally when she's almost to him, Kylo Ren stops. He stares at her, mystified. She's breathing hard, and her eyes are red, but she isn't harmed. If anything, she's standing up straighter. Kylo Ren doesn't understand. Why isn't his anger having an effect on her? Why isn't she filled with rage? She has so much anger in her, she should be consumed by it!</p><p>Rey responds with a fierce smile. That's what he never understood. Yes, she is angry. Furious. But his anger can't destroy her, because she's learned to work with her anger. She welcomes it. His anger can't hurt her, because she's already just as angry as he is. Her hand snaps out, calling her lightsaber off of his belt. Kylo Ren reacts quickly, catching the lightsaber in mid-air and clutching it tightly. So tightly that he misses when she changes her focus and instead pulls HIS lightsaber away and catches it herself. She ignites it, the crackling red glow reflected in her eyes. Maybe she's even angrier than him, actually, and she's happy to put it to the test. She charges at him, and he barely ignites the green lightsaber in time to block.</p><p>In the communications hub, Jannah is scowling at Finn. Both of their eyes are red with rage. Mortus laughs behind them, delighted at the friends having turned on each other. Jannah again says that Finn is a traitor, turning his back on the people who should have been his family. Finn frowns, the red starting to fade from his eyes. He says she's right. He IS a traitor. He makes eye contact with her, noticing that the red in her eyes is fading as well. She blinks in confusion, trying to figure out what's happening. Finn speaks slowly, keeping the anger in his voice, circling Jannah as he talks, catching a glimpse of Mortus out of the corner of his eye. Finn agrees that he's a traitor. He turned his back on the cruel monsters of the First Order. But he didn't betray his family: he found them. He knows exactly who he betrayed, and she's right. He'd do it again.</p><p>He's made a full circuit of Jannah now, and glances past her at Mortus. Finn holds up one of the lightsabers and gives Jannah just enough of a warning with his eyes that when he THROWS IT she knows to duck. The lightsaber flies past her and hits Mortus, slashing him across the shoulder. He roars in rage and reignites his axe. Finn is charging him full speed with the other lightsaber and clashes against the axe, taking advantage of Mortus' injury to press the attack.</p><p>But it's still not enough. Even fighting one-handed, Mortus quickly regains his footing and has Finn on the defensive. Finn spots where the lightsaber he threw landed on the far side of the room. He dodges back for a quick moment, just long enough to reach out with the Force and pull at the fallen lightsaber. But he doesn't pull it to himself--instead he throws it across the room to Jannah. She catches it out of the air, ignites it, and closes on Mortus before he has time to react. Finn attacks again from the front, and Mortus only has the one axe to block with. Jannah cuts him down with the orange lightsaber, and Finn strikes the finishing blow.</p><p>Finn and Jannah stand over the fallen Knight of Ren, panting, holding their stolen lightsabers. Jannah asks if this makes Finn a real Jedi now. Finn shrugs. He has no idea what a Jedi is, but he sure does like these lightsabers. Jannah turns hers off and hands it back to Finn, saying it didn't feel right in her hands. This whole Force thing isn't really her scene. She prefers a trusty blaster. Finn clips the lightsabers to his belt. Then, remembering, he quickly asks if she still has it, and Jannah gives an exhausted but triumphant smile and holds up the datacard with the information they found. They got what they came for. Now it's time to get out of here before anything else can go wrong.</p><p>In the streets of Coruscant, Poe is tailing the X-Wing of Jess Pava, his friend, angrily taking shots at her. She dodges each in turn and his shots strike the buildings they're passing. BB-8 bleeps loudly and angrily, but Poe dismisses the droid. BB-8 makes another frustrated beep and suddenly Poe's X-Wing won't fire. He pulls the triggers again and again, but nothing happens. He yells for BB-8 to fix whatever's wrong, but BB-8's indignant response finally catches his attention. BB-8 turned off the cannons intentionally to get Poe's attention, and the droid won't turn them back on until Poe stops!</p><p>For a moment Poe starts to shout at the droid, but he catches himself, the rage passing as he sees the damage his stray shots did to the apartment buildings. Poe takes a few calming breaths and the red fades from his eyes. He thanks BB-8 for stopping him from doing something stupid, then calls Pava over the comms and apologizes, saying he doesn't know what came over her but he knows she's not the enemy. After a moment her voice comes back, cracking but grateful. Whatever got him got her too.</p><p>Poe and Jess pull back together and focus on the real enemy: the Sith Interceptor. BB-8 picks up its engine signature a few blocks away, hunting down other members of the squad. Poe and Jess rocket off after it and split up--Poe will hit it from below while Jess drops down on it from overhead.</p><p>They reach the Interceptor a moment too late to stop it from blasting another X-Wing out of the sky. But their gambit works perfectly, with Jess knocking off one of the Interceptor's wings a moment before Poe blasts it from below. He flies through the fiery explosion and emerges triumphantly out the other side, calling for the survivors of Black Squadron to form up on him.</p><p>But his victory is short-lived: he realizes with a shock that Serrax Ren, pilot of the Sith Interceptor, survived the ship's destruction and is now CLINGING TO THE NOSE OF HIS X-WING. Poe throws the ship into a spin, but the Knight of Ren's grip is tight. Serrax reaches out with the Force and suddenly the controls jerk out of Poe's hands, the stick moving on its own, leveling out the ship. Poe struggles to twist the joystick but Serrax's grip is too strong.</p><p>With the X-Wing flying level, Serrax pulls himself up onto the nose. He ignites his orange lightsaber and makes his way towards the cockpit, crouching against the wind. Poe desperately looks for some way to stop the Knight of Ren, but comes up blank. Then he hears a voice crackle over the comms, still full of rage and hate. Karé Kun shouts that this is for her husband. We see her for just a moment, her eyes still red from rage and tears. Then her X-Wing comes in from the side and slams into Serrax, dislodging him from Poe's X-Wing, her ship's wings narrowly clipping past Poe's. In the narrow space between the buildings, there's no room to maneuver, no room to turn, and she makes no attempt to. With Serrax pinned to the front of her ship, she flies directly into the nearest building, destroying herself and the Knight of Ren in a fiery blast.</p><p>Poe is heartbroken over the loss of yet another friend, but he swallows his grief for the moment. He calls for Black Squadron to form up on him and get back in the air. The other ships still need cover.</p><p>In the Grand Council Chamber, Rose is still facing down the angry members of the Council. The agitator looks down at the scorch in the table where she's just shot. He shakes his head in disgust. He knew she wouldn't shoot him. She's too weak to do something like that. Rose swallows and breathes slowly. Her eyes are still red, still angry, but she's in control. She flips a switch on the blaster and shoots the council member with a stun blast. As he slumps face down on the table, Rose says he's wrong. She's too STRONG to do something like that. She gestures with the blaster and asks if any of the other council members want to try something stupid. None of them seem to.</p><p>Kylo Ren doesn't understand what's happening. He's poured all of his anger into Rey, but somehow it only made her stronger. And now she clearly has the upper hand in their lightsaber fight. They dance around the room, circling the enormous glowing red crystal in its bed of machinery. She's wielding his lightsaber, pushing him back. He's fighting with her double-bladed one, but he clearly isn't comfortable with it. He keeps nearly cutting himself with the second blade as he attempts to fight back. He demands to know how she can do this, how she can withstand his anger. He's known this anger was in her, but this is... this is different.</p><p>Even as she fights, Rey explains it to him. She's angry because she cares. She's angry because the galaxy is broken and she wants to fix it. She's angry because she wants to help people. She spent her whole life being afraid of her anger because she always saw anger being used to hurt people. But now she understands that she can use her anger to drive her, to keep her fighting to make the galaxy better. It's not wrong to be angry, what's wrong is when you let that anger trick you into hurting other people. She knows WHY she's angry now. But she's seen his mind. He doesn't even know himself at all, does he? He has no idea what he's angry about.</p><p>Kylo Ren starts to protest that that's ridiculous. Of course he knows. He's angry about... about all of it. About the Jedi, the Sith, about his parents, about Skywalker... But as he says it out loud, it's like he's hearing himself for the first time. He can hear that there's no logic to it, just a set of names he's repeated for so long that it's a mantra, one without any meaning behind it. He falters, distracted by that thought, for just a moment.</p><p>But that moment is enough. Rey darts forward, taking advantage of the gap in his defenses to slash him across the thigh. He stumbles backwards in pain, trying to maintain his defenses, but he can't. Rey continues to push forward, batting the double-bladed lightsaber aside and lunging in to STAB HIM THROUGH THE SHOULDER. He yells in pain as he collapses backwards and drops her lightsaber. It leaps through the air into her hand, and she stands over him holding both lightsabers.</p><p>Kylo Ren stares up at her, still full of rage and confusion. He tells her to end it, then, if she's so angry. Isn't that what she wants? To kill him and end all of this forever? Save her stupid friends and save the galaxy? Rey looks down at him not with hatred but with pity. Even now he doesn't understand. She turns off both lightsabers and throws them aside. She says that killing him won't save the galaxy, because the galaxy doesn't revolve around him. And THAT is what he's truly angry about. He's angry because he's terrified that he doesn't matter. His parents and grandparents were heroes and villains who shaped the galaxy, but he didn't have anything like that. He was scared that the galaxy would carry on and that he would be irrelevant, his life just like that of anyone else in the galaxy. </p><p>Another voice joins Rey's: the Force ghost of Luke Skywalker stands behind her. He can see now that Rey is right. Ben was scared that he wasn't special like the people he idolized, and he let that fear drive him to do horrible things. And he was right: the galaxy HAS changed, and he doesn't have to matter. But that's not a bad thing. It's okay to just be a person.</p><p>The other Force ghosts appear around Rey and Kylo Ren, looking down at him in disappointment. Anakin Skywalker steps forward and Kylo Ren recognizes his grandfather. Anakin crouches next to Kylo and says that he didn't even understand the people he was trying to copy. Darth Vader was a monster, yes, but even Anakin Skywalker eventually found redemption. You can't just pick and choose the parts of people you want to idolize and ignore the rest.</p><p>But even being personally called to task by Anakin Skywalker doesn't seem to fully break Kylo Ren. He scowls at all of the Force Ghosts and Rey and blames them all for abandoning him when he needed them. Luke sighs bitterly and says that's true. He did let Ben down, but what's done is done.</p><p>Artoo rolls up and interrupts with an alarmed series of beeps. The crystal is still giving off enormous amounts of energy. It was damaged during the fight, and unless the energy gets vented, it'll explode. Rey says they should run, but Artoo points out that they can't get far enough in time--the blast will likely wipe out a significant amount of Coruscant. Kylo Ren laughs bitterly. It was all for nothing in the end, and Rey and all of her friends will die anyway. Good.</p><p>But Rey looks up at the crystal. She has another idea. She can tap into it and channel the energy herself. She looks at the machinery, looks at the crystal, feeling the accumulated energy through the Force. She can do it. Kylo Ren encourages her, telling her to do exactly what she accuses him of doing, and control the whole galaxy. It's perfect. She can just MAKE everyone better. Make a perfect galaxy, where no one hurts each other any more. That's what she wants, isn't it? And he knows she's capable of it. He's seen it in her.</p><p>She frowns, turning away from him. Luke has a suddenly hungry look in his ghostly eyes. He says that Rey can succeed where he failed. She's here, in the repository of thousands of years of Jedi history. She can reach out and share that knowledge. She can bring back the Jedi in one moment, just as they used to be. She can do what he always dreamed of.</p><p>For a long moment, Rey stands there, bathed in the light of the crystal. To one side of her is the fallen form of Kylo Ren, bitterly goading her on. To her other side is the ghost of Luke Skywalker, reaching out and begging for her to finish his work.</p><p>Rey turns and looks past both of them. She sees Stow, the young girl, being helped across the room by Chewbacca. Stow has just made it to her Nautolan friend, 1977, and is gently waking her friend up again. The two young girls embrace, reconnected at last, holding each other, crying, while Chewbacca kneels over both of them protectively.</p><p>Rey turns back to the crystal with a firm smile. She knows what she needs to do. She reaches out a hand to it and calls the power into her. Just as it did before to Kylo Ren, the red energy leaps into her and then pours outwards through her, using her as a conduit. She lets out a yell of pain, but she concentrates and is able to control it, guide it, and let it amplify her own strength.</p><p>We see a blinding flurry of images, just for a moment. Rey training with Luke on Ahch-To, feeling the Force for the first time. A young Finn putting on his helmet for the first time. Paige and Rose Tico laughing together in a more peaceful time. Poe sharing a drink with his squadron mates. General Leia discussing her speech with Connix, late at night on Kashyyyk. A young Armitage Hux being beaten by his father. Kylo Ren raging in secret at the death of his mother.</p><p>We see Poe Dameron in his X-Wing, these images flickering in his eyes. Rose in the Grand Council Chamber is seeing the same thing, as is Queen Velén not far away. Then they blink and the moment is gone.</p><p>Rey drops to her knees, the power flickering and fading away. The crystal goes dim behind her. Rey is exhausted and in pain, but it worked. Kylo Ren looks at her in horror and shock and confusion, tears in his eyes. He saw... he felt... so much. What did she DO? Weakly, quietly, she tells him. She did what the Skywalkers taught her. The Force is an energy field that connects all living things. She let herself feel that connection, and she shared it with everyone. For just a moment, she connected everyone in the galaxy and let them feel each other. Their pain, their joy, their anger, their love. All of it.</p><p>Luke Skywalker looks proudly at Rey. She made the right choice. Bringing back the Jedi... he knows that wouldn't be right either, and apologizes for his moment of weakness, an expression of shame crossing his face. She thanks him for the approval, for the teachings, for all of it. She wouldn't have figured any of this out without him and Leia. And she will keep teaching, even if it's not quite the old Jedi way. Luke is pleased with that. He's sure she'll figure out an even better way. With one final grateful nod to Artoo, he and the other Force ghosts fade away one more time.</p><p>In the Grand Council Chamber, Rose is looking at the Council members and Queen Velén with a changed expression. She touches her necklace, blinking away tears. The moment of connection reached all of them. She tells Queen Velén to order the fleets to stand down. Velén nods slowly, also still reeling from the impact of what Rey did. She takes out a commlink and issues an order to the whole First Order fleet to surrender and stand down. She also turns to one of the Council members and tells them to end the communications blockade. The Council member scowls for a moment, then sighs in defeat and begins tapping at a control panel. Rose looks at the commlink and wonders briefly how the Queen contacted her. Queen Velén smiles and says that she had been holding on to Rose's contact codes since they met on Naboo... just in case. And she's very glad she did.</p><p>Aboard the Resistance corvette, C-3PO announces with surprise to Connix that they're suddenly being overwhelmed with requests to surrender. Connix, looking chagrined over her earlier anger, tells Threepio to accept them all. She looks at her instruments, though, and she can see that not every ship is surrendering. Several of the Destroyers are jumping out of the system, along with one of the Dreadnaughts. Lando contacts her and asks if they should pursue or try to stop them, but Connix says no. If they want to run, let them run. They'll deal with the remnants later. The Resistance--the New New Republic?--has its hands plenty full right here. Wedge Antilles asks if they should still be looking for escape vectors. To her own surprise, Connix says she's pretty sure they don't need to. They're not running any more--the battle is over, and they've won.</p><p>The enormity of everything washes over Kylo Ren. So much of what he felt in the moment of connection was pain, suffering, misery, and so much of that was because of him. Because of what he did. He could feel it. All of it. He didn't know. Or... that's not true. He did know, but he forced himself not to care. Even when he knew, he kept hurting people anyway.</p><p>He looks over at Rey, who has collapsed from exhaustion and is sitting with her back against the crystal machinery. He asks her what happens now? What does he do? How can he ever fix everything he broke? All the lives he ruined? She quietly says that she doesn't know. But trying is better than giving up. What happens now is... rebuilding. Slowly. It won't be easy. It'll be hard, painful work, but it will be worth it.</p><p>Kylo Ren pulls himself unsteadily to his feet. He limps over to Rey, standing over her. She's too tired to move. But he doesn't attack. He just reaches down and offers her his hand. With a hesitant smile, she takes it. They stand like that for a moment, holding hands again.</p><p>Then a crackling red lightsaber blade erupts through Kylo Ren's chest.</p><p>Behind him stands General Hux, who bitterly hisses the phrase that has haunted him--long live the Supreme Leader.</p><p>Rey cries out Ben's name in shock as the last Skywalker falls to the ground, dead. General Hux stands over her, clutching Ren's lightsaber, eyes full of madness and rage. He raises the lightsaber high, preparing to bring it down, calling out that this will at last be the end of the Resistance, once and for all.</p><p>A blaster shot from across the room hits the lightsaber hilt, knocking it out of his hands, sending it clattering across the floor. Hux clutches his hands to his chest in pain and spins to look for where the shot came from.</p><p>In the doorway of the archive chamber stand Jannah and Finn, both still in their Stormtrooper armor. Finn says that actually Hux is right. This is the end of the Resistance, because there's no more First Order left to resist. Then he shoots Hux in the chest, blasting him backwards. He grins in satisfaction, then hands the blaster back to Jannah and says that she was right, there is still plenty to be said for a good blaster.</p><p>Together, they make their way to Rey and help her to her feet. R2-D2 and Chewbacca come and join them as well as they look down at the fallen forms of Ben Skywalker and Armitage Hux. Finn says that Rey did it. She beat them. Rey frowns a little bit. It wasn't that simple. But one way or another, they did it. Together.</p><p>Stow and her friend walk over and join them too. As they do, Stow stops and picks up the sparking, damaged remnants of Kylo Ren's lightsaber. The assembled heroes look around at the other fallen Sith Squires, some of whom are starting to wake up. Rey looks at them all and takes a slow breath. The war is over, but her work is just beginning.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. EPILOGUE</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Poe Dameron gently brings his X-Wing down to land in the enormous plaza in front of the palace on Coruscant. Other ships have landed as well--the Blockade Runner, the Idiot's Array, the survivors of Black Squadron, and countless other small ships from the Resistance Armada. The pilots pour out of their ships, in an overwhelmingly celebratory mood. Poe is caught up in hugs from a dozen of his fellow pilots, as well as a moment of pained solace with the survivors of Black Squadron, in memory of those who didn't make it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Poe first finds Connix, asking desperately if she's heard from Finn or Rey. Connix shakes her head. She hasn't heard anything. But she knows Rey is alive--they all do. They felt her. But she hasn't heard from Finn since his big broadcast... which is going to be an enormous policy headache, to say the least. A moment later they hear Finn calling out from behind them, saying that hey, it worked, didn't it? They turn to see him and Jannah slowly walking down the front steps of the palace, gently supporting Rey between them. Following them are Chewbacca, Stow, and all the Sith Squires. R2-D2 jets unsteadily down after them, coming to a shaky but intact landing on the plaza. The reunited heroes of the Resistance embrace happily. They're exhausted but triumphant. Finn takes Poe's hand, gripping it tightly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Connix is still looking for someone. Finally she spots her, coming across the plaza from another part of the palace. Rose Tico is proudly leading her captives out at blasterpoint, and announces to the plaza that she has the entire First Order Grand Council here and would appreciate some help taking them into custody. Not bothering to hide her satisfaction, Connix very happily assigns a few of her crew to find somewhere to put them to await their trial. Then she rushes to Rose, but pauses right in front of her. With careful dignity, she accepts the prisoners into New Republic custody and congratulates Rose on a job well done. Rose thanks her with equal dignity, but can't keep a straight face for long. She throws her arms around Connix in joyful celebration, and kisses her happily. They did it! They really did!</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As the prisoners are led away, Rey splits off from the others for a moment. She catches Queen Velén, who is still looking regal despite having her hands cuffed behind her back. The Queen asks if Rey has come to gloat, which catches Rey off guard. Rey says that she's come to apologize. She shouldn't have tried to control her. That was wrong, no matter how she tried to justify it at the time. Queen Velén gives her a smile that is cold but understanding. She says that during war, everyone does things they aren't proud of and justifies it in the name of peace and justice. She and Rey aren't so different at all. They each did what they thought they had to in order to protect the people they cared about. She leaves Rey to think that over and turns to follow the other prisoners away, her head still held high.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Around the edges of the plaza, Rose sees other new faces--the ordinary people of Coruscant, emerging from their homes, looking to see what's going on. She calls out to them and says that it's alright. They can come out. The First Order is gone at last. As word spreads among the civilians, first in whispers, then in shouts, the celebratory mood begins to echo down through the streets of Coruscant.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>C-3PO gets Connix's attention and hands her a datapad. She watches as messages pour in, one after another. Poe asks her what's going on. She says the communications blockade is gone and they're getting messages from all over the galaxy. In system after system, the First Order Star Destroyers just... left. And now the people are reclaiming their worlds. Not just here on Coruscant, but... everywhere. At long last, the people of the galaxy have risen up and taken back their freedom.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>WIPE TO:</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Later that night, the heroes of the Resistance are having an enormous party on a Coruscant rooftop. Beyond the edge of the roof, we can see that similar celebrations are happening on every street, balcony, roof, and really any flat surface large enough for a few people to stand on. The galaxy is free again, and the celebration is richly deserved.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The roof where the Resistance has gathered is full of dancing. At the center of it is of course Lando Calrissian, shamelessly flirting up a storm as his spouses watch and laugh. Other surviving heroes dance and laugh and celebrate together, trading stories of triumphs and raising toasts to lost comrades. Among the crowd we see Wedge Antilles, Zay Versio, Hera Syndulla, Suralinda Javos, Aftab Ackbar, the captain of the Naboo guard, and as many other familiar faces as can reasonably fit on the roof. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jannah and her squadron stand awkwardly to the side, not mingling with the rest of the celebration. They are approached by Jessika Pava, and at first tense up, expecting some kind of attack. But Jess just offers Jannah a drink, which Jannah accepts after a moment of hesitation. Then Jess drags her out to the dance floor, to the enormous amusement of her squadron.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Maz Kanata is talking to Chewbacca, who shakes his head gently but firmly. Maz smiles and reminds him that the offer is always open if he changes his mind. Chewie roars in affirmation but turns back to his family. He wraps his arms around them, showing off his newly-installed cybernetic right arm.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Maz makes her way to another corner of the roof, where a group has gathered around a fire pit. Rey, Rose, Finn, Poe, and Connix are all gathered together in a moment of companionable silence. Poe, who saw where Maz came from, asks how Chewie's adjusting to the new arm. Maz says it's working fine, but he refuses to put any kind of covering or artificial fur on it. Rey laughs and says that's Chewie--he won't want anything to get in the way of his endless tinkering with it. Maz says she offered him a whole workshop to tinker in, but no, he wants to "spend time with his family." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Maz shakes her head, then congratulates the group on saving the galaxy--again. She asks them what they're going to do now. The galaxy is still a mess, after all. One by one, the group goes around and shares their answers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Connix and Rose are going to stay on Coruscant and try to build a new government. Leia left them most of a blueprint for something better than the Republic that came before, but someone actually needs to assemble it. It won't be easy work, but they've got to try. And they'll have help--at the very least, from a droid who's seen more of galactic politics up close than just about anyone else in the galaxy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They nod over to where C-3PO is standing nearby with R2-D2 and BB-8. Threepio is trying to convince Artoo that he should really get his casing repaired, as no, those dents do not look like "distinguished battle damage," they look ridiculous. Artoo's counter argument is quite pointed, and BB-8 backs him up with delight. Threepio is offended, as this is absolutely nothing like the situation with his red arm! Or his silver leg! Those were entirely different circumstances!</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Poe says that he and BB-8 are going to be leading a volunteer squadron to go try to hunt down the First Order remnants that fled. Jessika Pava and Wedge Antilles were the first to sign up, and Poe is pretty sure he won't have any shortage of pilots. There are a lot of folks who still feel like they owe the First Order some more payback.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Next is Finn, and Maz asks him with narrowed eyes if he's finally done running away from his destiny. Finn says he's not done running, but now he's got places to run TO instead of running away. Maz wonders if that means he's finally going to train in the Force. Finn glances at Rey briefly, but shakes his head. Not yet. He'll get there soon, but he has something he needs to do first. He and Jannah and some of the other ex-Stormtroopers are going to take the cadets to try to reunite them with their families. And maybe... he's going to try to find his own parents. After that... well, then maybe he'll do some Jedi stuff.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Which brings all eyes to Rey. It takes Rey a moment before she realizes they actually expect her to say something. Don't they all already know? She's got a whole bunch of Force-sensitive children with nowhere to go. Some of them will go with Finn and Jannah to find their families, but some have already asked her to teach them. She's going to have to try to figure out how. It won't be easy, but R2 is coming with her, and he's now full of the data from the entire Jedi archives. She's not going to just copy the old Jedi ways, though. That clearly didn't work out. Instead they're all going to figure out something new. Together.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Maz reminds her that it's more than just the few Sith Squires. The galaxy is full of Force-sensitive people. The Jedi used to go around scooping up all the children they could find for training. Is she going to do the same? Rey shakes her head and gives an emphatic no. No more taking children away from their families. Finn nods approvingly at that. Rey is just going to do her best to teach, and spread the invitation through the galaxy for those who want to learn. But it will always just be that--an invitation. She hasn't quite figured out WHERE to invite people to, though... she doesn't have a location for where she'll be teaching. It would take an enormous amount of work to make the Jedi Temple on Coruscant usable, and it's a site of way too many bad memories for most of her students. Poe leans in and says that actually... he knows a place that might be perfect. The place where he grew up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>WIPE TO:</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The heroes have gathered at the ships in the plaza a few days later, getting ready to fly off to their separate journeys. Rey gives goodbye hugs to Rose and Connix, then to Finn. Threepio fusses over Artoo for a moment before he trundles away to the landing ramp of the Millennium Falcon. Under the Falcon, Stow gives a huge hug to her best friend Gil (formerly known as 1977), who's chosen to go with Finn and Jannah for now. Stow reminds her that she'll be waiting at the new Jedi Temple.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gil heads over to where Jannah is leading a dozen assorted young cadets and Sith Squires onto a transport, and with one last wave to Stow heads aboard. Jannah confirms that's the last of them, and calls to Finn that they're just about ready.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finn is about to head on board as well when he's interrupted by Poe, just running up, slightly out of breath, BB-8 on his heels. Poe gently chastises him for trying to leave without saying goodbye. Finn shrugs awkwardly and says he figured Poe was busy getting ready to go hunting, and organizing his new fleet. Poe shakes his head and says that he's actually put Wedge and Jess in charge of it, though Wedge objected strenuously to the "Admiral" title. They'll be fine without him. Finn frowns. Then what's Poe going to do? Poe says that he realized Finn was going to be heading off into unknown territory, so... he was wondering if he needs a pilot. Finn breaks out into a huge grin and confirms: he needs a pilot. Poe tells him that's good, because he's got one.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They kiss.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Then, hand in hand, they head up the ramp onto the transport, BB-8 rolling up beside them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rose, Connix, and C-3PO stand together and wave goodbye as the transport and the Millennium Falcon both lift off and head for the sky and the stars beyond.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>WIPE TO:</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With the Falcon in hyperspace, Stow turns to Rey in the cockpit hesitantly. She takes out the heavily damaged remains of Kylo Ren's lightsaber and shows it to Rey. Stow says she picked it up after the fight and wasn't sure what to do with it. It's broken, but she's not sure if she should just get rid of it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rey thinks for a moment. Then she says she actually knows just what to do with it. She leads Stow back into the Falcon's living area, and opens a small drawer in the wall. Inside are the two broken halves of another lightsaber, along with the shattered remains of its kyber crystal: all that is left of the Skywalker lightsaber. Rey encourages Stow, who slowly and reverently picks up the biggest piece of the crystal. R2-D2 beeps approvingly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>CODA</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>An enormous stone pyramid emerges from the treetops of a familiar jungle. This is the ancient Massassi Temple on Yavin IV, from which the Rebel Alliance launched its attack on the first Death Star. In front of the temple entrance is an enormous tree with glowing blue leaves, the living twin of the dead tree that Rey saw on Coruscant. The Millennium Falcon is parked comfortably under the branches of the huge tree.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rey is slowly climbing the stairs to the top of the temple, but we can see that some time has passed. Her hair has grown longer, and she is wearing a simple brown robe over her usual clothes. It's not quite a traditional Jedi robe, but the lineage is clear. Stow follows close behind, wearing a simpler version of the same robes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They are both followed by a dozen other youths dressed the same way, some even younger than Stow but some in their teens. Leading the pack is a boy who once swept stables on Canto Bight but has now found his way here. Rey has found her first group of students.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The group reaches the top of the temple and looks out over the jungle. The enormous red giant planet Yavin hangs in the sky overhead. Rey takes a moment to look down the stairs. At the first landing, she sees the now-familiar glowing blue forms of Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa, who smile at her in approval.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rey grins, then turns to her first student, Stow, and motions for the young girl to proceed. Rey steps back, as do the other students. Stow takes a deep breath, then climbs a small pedestal to the highest point of the temple. She reaches into her robes and takes out the newly-rebuilt lightsaber. She holds it high over her head and IGNITES IT. The blade and both of the smaller blades that form the cross-guard no longer crackle with instability. The lightsaber is now the gentle, stable blue of the kyber crystal it carries within it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As the other students applaud and look up at the lightsaber in awe, we pull back to see the whole top of the temple. Stow holds her lightsaber aloft with both hands, its blue blades burning brilliantly against the red planet in the sky behind her. Rey stands at her side, smiling proudly, surrounded by her students. Luke Skywalker was not the last Jedi... and neither is she.</span>
</p>
<p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>THE END</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>It's over! I wrote a whole Star War! Thank you so much for reading, I hope you had at least one feeling. Enormous thanks to my beta readers--Sidus, Flak, Alex, Nikki, Erica, and Liz. Y'all are lovely. Thanks to Jeannette Ng for this really excellent essay (https://medium.com/@nettlefish/the-rise-of-skywalker-memorabilia-without-memory-a-misunderstanding-of-hope-8b4976f41df1) that crystalized all of my feelings about TRoS perfectly. Shoutout to Colin Trevorrow and Derek Connolly for also putting Kuat in their script. Kuat is awesome.</p>
<p>And of course shoutout to all the Star Wars writers over the years. The KDY executive is shamelessly just Viqi Shesh; Queen Velén is my tribute to Kieron Gillen's amazing Queen Trios; and of course the Jedi Temple has to be on Yavin IV, because that's where young Jedi are trained.</p>
<p>If you enjoyed this, leave a comment, tell me on twitter (@sunshineduk), and tell your friends to read it! Then go write your own Star Wars fanfics, and send me the link! May the Force be with you. &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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